The outbreak of the arab spring in december 2010 rekindled their rivalry. For example, the iranian ambassador to turkey, in a public speech, stated that 400year peace and stability on the iranianturkish borders, indicates positive and progressive relations in the fields of political, economic and cultural arena between two countries. Turkishiranian relations after the framework agreement. Turkey s future role in the middle east 23 conference participants 27 about the author 28 about the institute 29. The origins of the saudiiranian battle for the broader middle east, suzanne maloney and bruce riedel 20. Turkeyiran relations after the jdp openedition books.
Turkishiranian relations after the framework agreement 3 third, if the economic sanctions end, turkey can pursue its regional policy of becoming an energy hub between the energy rich east and the energypoor eu countries. In the light of the arab uprisings of 2011, the syria crisis, the escalation of regional terrorism and the military coup attempt in turkey, it illustrates the dramatic fluctuations in turkish foreign policy towards key middle eastern countries, such as iran, saudi arabia, egypt, syria and iraq. The future of turkishiranian relations openedition books. Turkishiranian relations concerns ethnic minorities. Turkeys foreign minister ahmet davutoglu and his iranian counterpart ali akbar salehi l attend a news conference in ankara. These factors, both similari ties and differences, account for the nature of relations between turkey and iran, which can be briefly described as. The iranian nuclear program is one of the most sensitive and controversial issues in turkishiranian relations.
However, after the arab spring commenced in syria, the two capitals fell on opposite sides, resulting in the tensest bilateral relations in the contemporary period. Particularly fluctuations in turkishiranian relations in the course of. During the mid 1990s, turkish iranian relations improved due to irans potential participation in an international consortium of companies formed to build a natural gas pipeline from turkmenistan to turkey, passing through iran. Turkey and iran in the region and in their relations with each other. Iranianturkish relations in a changing middle east in.
Pdf the kurdish question in iran and its effects on iran. Turkishiranian cooperation has visibly intensified in recent years, thanks in part to turkish energy needs and irans vast oil and natural gas resources. Historical patterns in turkish iranian relations historically, turkey and iran have been mirror images of one another, rarely seeing eye to eye but unable to part ways due to their geographical proximity. History suggests that ankara and damascus will find ways to manage tensions, so the rivalry for regional influence is more likely to simmer than boil over into outright conflict. The year 1934 marks the only visit abroad made by the iranian king reza shah, which brought him to turkey with the aim to observe the political and social reforms which his western neighbour was undergoing at. The early encounters between the two peoples gradually evolved into. A reality check andreas breitegger andreas breitegger is a graduate student at the university of vienna. The historical background of turkishiranian relations. In order to understand the new activism in turkishiranian relations, it is necessary to provide a historical context of the changing dynamic of regional politics by analyzing threat perceptions and security alignments from the perspective of developing turkishiran relations.
Introduction turkish iranian security relations can be investigated by using the systemic level of analysis. Simplistic binary readings generally fail to explain the trajectory of turkish iranian relations. This volume examines contemporary political relations between turkey and the middle east. Apart from the international level analysis, the focus of this study is restricted to regional political analyses by using a model for small states and empirical evidence from regional developments. When opposites attract this article examines the evercloser relationship between turkey and iran. Governments on both sides of the atlantic have been struggling to find an appropriate response to the tide of events following the recent elections in iran. But turkish prime minister recep tayyip erdogans assertive support for the palestinians has stolen irans thun. Turkishiranian relations from the alliance of common. Irans azeris are estimated to constitute more than 25 percent of the population, while about 15 percent of the population of turkey is kurdish. Turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east on jstor. The relations between the islamic republic of iran and the republic of turkey have always been peaceful since the establishment of the modern states. The visit of the iranian chief of staff to ankara, as a first in history, three weeks before the current visit and accompanied by a high number of officials, and subsequent to that the visit of the turkish chief of staff to tehran for the first time since the revolution reflect that bilateral relations could go beyond the economic, cultural. Turkish iranian relations are in general regarded stable in the literature, and the causes of stability in bilateral relations are inadequately explained often by overemphasising the geopolitics of bilateral relations.
These questions will be discussed under three headings. Turkey and iran support opposing sides in the syrian war. True to the rollercoasterlike ups and downs in turkishiranian relations throughout history, the improvement in the two countries relations proved not to be permanent. As turkey has been facing more and more hardships and experiencing political isolation, iran seemed to be more comfortable with its external. Will turkishiranian relations turn from a coalition of. Why are relations tightening between china and turkey. Turkishiranian relations requires a broader understanding than the prevalent narrow topical analysis provides. The turkishiranian high level cooperation council hlcc which was established in 2014, has provided a structured basis to the turkishiranian relations. Even the impassioned psyche of the iranian revolution in 1979 didnt hinder turkishiranian relations. The turkishiranian relations witnessed big developments in the political and economic fields during the years 20022008, besides of cooperation in the energy and security aspects, which were. The outcome of irans nuclear drive will have significant implications not only for bilateral relations between turkey and iran but also for the two countries relations with their neighbors, allies, and. Pdf iranianturkish relations in a changing middle east.
Turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east ebook. Turkeyiran relations and the syrian dilemma middle east. About the autho r sean kane is the senior program officer for iraq at the united. Judging from recent declarations, it appears the relationship will hold up, as neither side has viable. Just a few years after key officials in washington were branding turkey irans lawyer with regard to the latters contentious nuclear program, relations between ankara. Turkishiranian relations have been propelled by their own dynamics along certain lines of stability, particularly over the last century. Turkishiranian relations in the new era iram center. Turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east. Azerbaijanis, a turkic people who speak a turkic language, are the second. Turkeys future role in the middle east 23 conference participants 27 about the author 28 about the institute 29.
Whilst the foreignpolicy analysis of both countries generally concentrates on the level of the individual and state. Among important turning points in their relations were the regime changes in both countries in the 1920s, their common approaches to the soviet threat in the cold war era, and the 1979 iranian revolution. Bayram sinkaya 2018 the kurdish question in iran and its effects on iranturkey relations, british journal of middle eastern studies, 45. Coexistence and convergence in turkishiranian relations, kemal kirisci. The volume of trade between china and turkey grew significantly in the first decade of this century. The countries relationship is now strengthening further, reflecting turkeys interest in participating in the bri and the chinese leaderships struggles with its uyghur minority. Iran views its opposition to israel as enhancing its popularity in the arab world. Turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east rand.
Without taking into account the dilemma of the syrian crisis and its role in straining the turkishiranian relations, the relationship seems to be facing a new stage full of interests. The turkish iranian relations witnessed big developments in the political and economic fields during the years 20022008, besides of cooperation in the energy and security aspects, which were. As a case study, turkishiranian relations are discussed from a historical perspective. Turkishiranian relations are expected to develop further if the american and european pressures on turkey as well as iran increase, so that they are both a common ally of the other against external attempts aimed at undermining their control over the reins of affairs in the region, which turkish and iranian leaders know will be issued to their. Turkishiranian relations are experiencing new turbulence as turkish president recep tayyip erdogan said on feb. Irans contribution to turkeys focus of integrating transit projects within. A systemic approach towards turkish and iranian security. Historical patterns in turkishiranian relations historically, turkey and iran have been mirror images of one another, rarely seeing eye to eye but unable to part ways due to their geographical proximity. Pdf complexity and cooperation in times of conflict. Turkish and iraqi cooperation and economic integration as a key part of its post2011 strategy for iraq and the region. A systemic approach towards turkish and iranian security relations 19501989. Turkishiranian relations are expected to develop further if us and european pressure on turkey, as well as iran, become a common ally against foreign attempts to undermine their control of the region, which turkish and iranian leaders know will be exported into their countries in the form of crises hitting their forehead. Iran feared that israel could use turkey to launch military attacks against iran. Turkish troops intervened in iran during the first world war and even had orders to march on tehran.
The power vacuum in both syria and iraq has facilitated turkish and iranian expansion of influence, and most often, the two sides blamed each other in sectarian languagean unprecedented development in modern turkishiranian relations. A turkish diplomat who served in baghdad at the time told this author that turkeys initial. Turkeys role in the middle east united states institute. Hassan rouhani, president of the islamic republic of iran to. Irans pursuit of nuclear technology has divided the middle east region and international community. Turkishiranian case is perfect for testing some international relations theories. The arab revolutions from turkish and iranian perspectives.
Turkey and iran have heavy mutual influence on each other, due to geographical proximity, linguistic and ethnic relations e. Conceptualizing the dynamics of politics, religion. Turkeys relations with iran central asiacaucasus institute. Turkeys growing relations with iran and arab middle east. Since the justice and development party akp came to power in turkey in 2002 it has pursued a markedly more assertive foreign policy than its predecessors. Below is the chronological list of the hlcc meetings. Governments on both sides of the atlantic have been struggling to find an appropriate response to the tide of events following the recent elections in. Turkishiranian relations in the shadow of the arab. Turkish iranian relations requires a broader understanding than the prevalent narrow topical analysis provides. Pdf this article examines turkish iranian relations in the 2000s, when the two countries initiated an unprecedented rapprochement. Endnotes and citations are available in the pdf and scribd versions. Growing economic relations despite western sanctions prof.
This twoday visit is viewed by many experts as having begun a new era in turkish iranian relations that has continued to this day. Summary v preface viii 1 introduction 1 2 background 2 3 historical and geostrategic context 5 4 turkey, the kurds, and relations with iraq 8 5 turkey and iran 12 6 turkey, syria, and the water crisis 16 7 turkey and the middle east peace process 20 8 conclusion. The arab revolutions and their impact on the interests of turkey and iran. How are turkishiranian relations likely to evolve in the coming decade. So why have ties between the two nations warmed in recent months. The coincidence between the celebrations marking the national reconciliation in gaza and the visit by turkish president recep tayyip erdogan to tehran although it was not prearranged reflects a state of excessive liquidity that the region has undergone since the outbreak of the arab spring revolutions. The iranian nuclear programme is a controversial issue that has had domestic, regional and international effects.
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