The period after 2002: the tightening of relations between Iran and Turkey and the future prospects
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14422/cir.i11.y2018.005Keywords:
Arab Spring, Iran, Middle East, Turkey, Erdoğan, United StatesAbstract
The course of Iran-Turkey relations over the past thirty years, reflects in some way two wider global changes. First, the reduction of securitization for the sake of economic cooperation, and second, the increasing importance of regional co-operation as a result of the emergence of a multi-polar world. The tightening of Turkey’s relations with Iran began to strengthen after 2002.The reasons that led to this empowerment were the following: first, the rise to power of the moderate Islamic Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the emergence, a bit later, of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as prime minister. Second, the presence of the United States in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Third, the convergence of Turkey’s and Iran’s foreign policies of Turkey and Iran on the issues of Middle East. Fourth, Turkey’s disappointment with West and the shape of a new foreign policy towards the Middle East. Fifth, economic criteria have also played a role. Intense cooperation between the two states seems to be suspended from 2011 due to certain problems that came up. These problems are: First, Iran’s refusal to make economic concessions to Turkey. Secondly, the re-emergence of their prolonged competition in the broadest region of the Middle East, especially after the Arab Spring. However, the most decisive factor in the Iran-Turkey relations proved to be the armed insurgency of the Sunnis against the Syrian regime, although both countries are working together to combat Kurdish nationalism.
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