Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan remains committed to maintaining his affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood as the anticipation of financial support from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia grows amid Turkey’s struggling economy.

President Erdogan on Tuesday August 8th received a delegation the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), a Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated organization, at the presidential palace in Ankara. The meeting was attended by Ali Muhyiddin al-al-Qaradaghi, the secretary-general of the IUMS, as well as Ali Erbaş, the president of the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez, the chair of the Institute of Islamic Thought and former head of the Diyanet. No information apart from photos of the meeting was shared by the President’s Office.

The IUMS, designated as a terrorist organization by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain in 2018, enjoys political protection, diplomatic support and financial aid from Turkey as well as Qatar.

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With the exception of Qatar, the Gulf countries perceive the Muslim Brotherhood, which represents a militant and politicized Islamist ideology, as a potential challenge that could undermine the stability and continuity of their monarchies. As a result, these countries often view the activities and presence of the Brotherhood within their borders with a sense of caution and take strong measures against it.

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