Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said he was the target of an assassination attempt involving heavy metal poisoning around four and five years ago.

Speaking in a televised interview on 24 TV, Fidan said he had been exposed to high levels of arsenic and mercury. “These were revealed in tests,” he added, stating that he had been poisoned and that this amounted to an attempt on his life.

Fidan, who previously led Türkiye’s National Intelligence Agency (MIT), said he had been targeted by terrorist groups since the day he entered the service.

He also criticised the country’s main opposition party, accusing it of using information allegedly produced by terrorist groups and criminal networks in political discourse. “This is a dangerous path,” Fidan said. “Aside from character assassinations, we were physically targeted. I was poisoned.”

No further details were provided on when or where the incident took place.

Fidan held previously key roles in foreign policy and security within the Turkish government.

He also served as Deputy Undersecretary and later as Undersecretary/Director of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), a role he held for 13 years until his appointment as foreign minister.