In most of the analyses on turkish iranian relations, usually two countries are depicted as sharing a similar position regarding the kurdish issue. To what extent are turkish iranian security interests convergent. Iran and turkey step up cooperation middle east monitor. A close look at the ties between the two neighbors shows that economy as one of factors has played an important and fundamental role in facilitating the expansion and continuation of their relations. 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 adversaries. 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.
Turkeyiran relations after the jdp turkeyiran relations. True to the rollercoasterlike ups and downs in turkishiranian relations throughout history, the improvement in the two countries relations proved not to be permanent. Turkeys main fear is that irans acquisition of nuclear arms could lead to a nuclear arms race in the middle east. Iran relations republic of turkey ministry of foreign affairs. Colleagues from our other project partner, the institute of oriental studies ivran of the russian academy of sciences, as. Turkishiranian relations are experiencing new turbulence as turkish president recep tayyip erdogan said on feb. Pdf after the outbreak of the arab spring and, above all, the intensification of the syrian crisis with ankara starting to engage in a political. What are the implications of the divergences for security in the middle east and u. Csis and the economic policy research foundation of turkey tepav coorganized a workshop at tepav in ankara on march 29, 2012 that examined how economic and energy issues figure in relations between turkey, russia, and iran. How are turkish iranian relations likely to evolve in the coming decade. 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. It argues that in order to understand the different stages in turkishiranian relations one needs to define the fine line between competition and rivalry, which are usually used interchangeably. Turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east ebook.
Fahimeh ghorbani political relations between iran and turkey have continued steadily since the 1979 islamic revolution despite the existence of structural differences between them. Turkeys role in the middle east united states institute. 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. The turkishiranian high level cooperation council hlcc which was established in 2014, has provided a structured basis to the turkishiranian relations. Central asia in presentday turkishiranian relations. 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. 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. The relations had culminated in the mutual withdrawal of the turkish and iranian.
Limits of a stable relationship, british journal of. Turkish statistical institute billion us dollars turkeys main exports to iran. The kurdish question and turkish iranian relations. How the postisis vacuum in iraq will test relations. First is the reza shahmustafa kemal era in which a set of crises and agreements were recorded. How the postisis vacuum in iraq will test relations between. Hassan rouhani, president of the islamic republic of iran to. Below is the chronological list of the hlcc meetings. Turkey currently faces deteriorating relations with syria, worsening dynamics with iraq over the kurdish issue, and new strains in turkish iranian relations following the decision to deploy a. Turkey and iran have heavy mutual influence on each other, due to geographical proximity, linguistic and ethnic relations e. The iranian nuclear program is one of the most sensitive and controversial issues in turkishiranian relations. Turkishiranian relations requires a broader understanding than the prevalent. On this trip, president sezer was accompanied by a large delegation of turkish industrialists and businessmen whose presence signified the main driving force of turkishiranian relations ever since.
The relationship was damaged by the 1979 iranian revolution, but it has steadily im. Turkeys foreign minister ahmet davutoglu and his iranian counterpart ali akbar salehi l attend a news conference in ankara. The relations between the islamic republic of iran and the republic of turkey have always been peaceful since the establishment of the modern states. These realities must be taken into account when assessing the prospects for the development of the regional situation and the potential of turkish iranian relations, the study of which is. Iranian rapprochement with the united states, and irans potential role as a starting point for another conflict. Turkishiranian 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. From world war i to 1998 kurdish studies series olson, robert w. For the united states, turkishiranian relations have mixed implications. Turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east. So why have ties between the two nations warmed in recent months. From friends with benefits to its complicated articles insight turkey fall 2012 volume 14, number 4 a few years after turkey and iran appeared to be growing closer, the pendulum has swung back and the two sides are increasingly at odds. Coexistence and convergence in turkishiranian relations, kemal kirisci. Pdf this article examines turkish iranian relations in the 2000s, when the two countries initiated an unprecedented rapprochement. Turkeyiran relations after the jdp openedition books.
The geostrategic rivalry between these two regional powers has deep historical roots, is subject to longterm patterns, and is amenable to realignments as a result of shifts in regional and international balances of power. However, the differences between the united states and turkey regarding irans nuclear program are largely over tactics, not strategic goals. For these reasons, assessing turkishiranian relations requires a broader understanding than. Pdf central asia in presentday turkishiranian relations. 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. Russian media reports the turkish leader told his iranian counterpart that he feels sorry for the loss of the senior military leader by toi staff and afp october 8, 2019, 10. It has allowed ankara to elicit iranian goodwill on bilateral issues, notably on opposition to kurdish militancy and the completion of favourable energy deals that should enable turkey to become a key energy transit corridor. All the latest and breaking turkeyiran relations news and coverage from including analysis, comments and photos. The origins of the saudiiranian battle for the broader middle east, suzanne maloney and bruce riedel 20. Russias relations with iran the washington institute for. The arab spring ushered a winter for turkishiranian relations. Efforts are made to further enhance the political dialogue both on bilateral and regional issues, through reciprocal visits and mechanisms such as high level cooperation council and.
When opposites attract this article examines the evercloser relationship between turkey and iran. 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. 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. Successive iranian governments have adopted a seductive approach towards turkey to reduce bilateral tensions.
Disenchantment began with turkeys call to the asad regime for reforms and to. Raw petroleum materials, natural gas, plastics in primary forms, metals other than iron and organic chemicals. Turkish, iranian commanders agree on military cooperation against threats. 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. If and when the islamic state is defeated in northern iraq, an immediate political vacuum in the sunni heartland will undoubtedly test turkishiranian relations. Russias relations with iran the washington institute. Russian media reports the turkish leader told his iranian counterpart that he feels sorry for the loss of the senior. Pdf economic, political, and strategic issues in iran. But turkish prime minister recep tayyip erdogans assertive support for the palestinians has stolen irans thun.
A turkish diplomat who served in baghdad at the time told this author that turkeys initial reluctance to. Irans nuclear program has been a source of strain and divergence in u. Second, the shared interests of ankara and tehran in con. Thus, one could divide the twentiethcentury turkishiranian relations into four periods. Irans need for normalization in the global system may become the anchor that reduces the scope of its possible reactions to regional developments. Jan 05, 2017 why russia, turkey and iran are natural allies january 5, 2017 12. Turkishiranian relations since 2002 tolga demiryol abstract the rapprochement between turkey and iran over the last decade has been based on a constellation of shortterm economic and security interests rather than a robust alignment of longterm objectives. Diplomatic relations between the islamic republic of iran and the republic of turkey.
Today, there are many groups and organizations in turkey which publicly promote proislamic revolution andor proiranian views, including qudsder quds association, conqueror raiders fatih akincilar, humanitarian relief foundation ihh, the akabe group, turkish hezbollah 37 and its political wing, hudapar. This article examines turkishiranian relations in the 2000s, when the two countries initiated an unprecedented rapprochement. Since the justice and development party akp came to power in turkey in 2002 it has pursued a markedly more assertive. The multiple contexts of the iranian revolution published on 01 jan 2007 by brill. Turkey currently faces deteriorating relations with syria, worsening dynamics with iraq over the kurdish issue, new strains in turkishiranian relations, and new lows in turkishisraeli relations. Turkishiranian cooperation has visibly intensified in recent years, thanks in part to turkish energy needs and irans vast oil and natural gas resources. Will turkishiranian relations turn from a coalition of. 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.
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. There are two reasons as to why the cooperative relations between turkey. It argues that modification of foreign policy paradigms in turkey and iran led to the rationalization of bilateral relations that paved the way for improvement of economic and political ties between the two states. Political science, researcher for the central eurasia project tashkent, uzbekistan abstract this article examines the special features, trends, and dynamics of iranian turkish relations in central asia ca in. Yet, no comprehensive analyses have been conducted so far that use the iranian nuclear case as an illustration to conceptualise the interaction between hegemonic structures and those actors resisting them. Turkish iranian relations requires a broader understanding than the prevalent narrow topical analysis provides. Turkishiranian relations requires a broader understanding than the prevalent narrow topical analysis provides. Automotive supply products, fiberboard, paper and paperboard, tobacco, zinc ores, nonwovens, hygienic towels and diapers turkeys main imports from iran. Iranianturkish relations in a changing middle east in. After the fall of the ottoman empire, turkeys first president mustafa kemal ataturk pushed for revolutionary social and legal reforms creating the modern turkish model of governance based on a secular democracy coupled. Nevertheless, for turkishiranian relations, the nuclear issue has been a boon to turkey. Simplistic binary readings generally fail to explain the trajectory of turkishiranian relations. Pdf iranianturkish relations in a changing middle east.
The united states, iran and the middle easts new cold war flynt leverett and hillary mann leverett relations between the united states and the islamic republic of iran need to be analysed and understood not only in terms of their bilateral dynamics, but also in their strategic context. Coexistence and convergence in turkishiranian relations, kemal kirisci 21. The turkishiranian gas relationship oxford institute for. The united states, iran and the middle easts new cold war. It is also an indication of the eclipse of the syria crisis as a major thorn in relations between iran and turkey. How the postisis vacuum in iraq will test relations between turkey and iran. Turkishiranian relations, meanwhile, have traditionally alternated between cooperation and competition, but since the arab awakening protests of. The syrian uprising, in particular, put turkey and iran on divergent paths that eventually led to a direct confrontation. Even the impassioned psyche of the iranian revolution in 1979 didnt hinder turkishiranian relations. This increasing turkishiranian cooperation, it can be argued, has been partly driven by shared interests, such as preventing kurdish independence from iraq, as well as both ankaras and tehrans pragmatic calculations to deconflict and deescalate while the wars in syria are still raging. Turkish iranian 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. This doctoral dissertation is a first step to fill this gap in the. Iran although they are historical rivals, turkey and iran have enjoyed relatively good relations in this century, in part because of their mutual hostility to communism.
Growing turkish azerbaijani relations over time were alarming for iran because of its fear of panturkism. Azerbaijanis, a turkic people who speak a turkic language, are the second. Irans contribution to turkeys focus of integrating transit projects within. Iran views its opposition to israel as enhancing its popularity in the arab world. The iranian nuclear crisis is a proxy arena for competing visions about the functioning of international relations. Nader, turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east, rand 20. 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. The closely similar stances of turkey and iran during the qatar crisis has accelerated the detente in turkish iranian relations. Turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east on jstor.
Turkishiranian relations in the new era iram center. Turkey and iran support opposing sides in the syrian war. Turkishiranian relations since the 1979 islamic revolution, middle east policy, vol. Over the past two decades, the dynamics of russoiranian relations have seemed unstable and, to a certain extent, unpredictable for other players in the international arena.
These factors, both similari ties and differences, account for the nature of relations between turkey and iran, which can be briefly described as. Turkishiranian relations since 2002 ortadogu etutleri 115 january 20, volume 4, no 2 ing trade relations between turkey and iran, particularly in the field of energy, purportedly fostered political cooperation between the two countries. Since the justice and development party akp came to power in turkey in 2002 it has pursued a. Turkish iranian relations in a changing middle east. Aug 22, 2017 turkey and iran support opposing sides in the syrian war. The turkishiranian relationship will continue to resist simplistic caricatures. Israels reverse periphery doctrine, natan sachs 22. The relations go decline further after syrian army shelled turkish army in idlib, as syria is backed by iran and presence of iranian army in northern syria.
If the inline pdf is not rendering correctly, you can download the pdf file here. Jul 11, 2016 endnotes and citations are available in the pdf and scribd versions. This article examines turkish iranian relations in the 2000s, when the two countries initiated an unprecedented rapprochement. E prof dr ahmet davutoglu, minister of foreign affairs, in turkish policy quarterly, volume 8, no. No wonder then, that many strategists are trying to understand the dynamics of iranian. Turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east rand. The outbreak of the arab spring in december 2010 rekindled their rivalry. Turkish iranian bilateral relations are evolving on the basis of the principles of noninterference in domestic affairs, mutual respect and good neighborliness. Iran was often at the mercy of turkic tribes from central.
555 830 210 1410 1245 915 455 142 997 1277 1167 384 1181 436 1060 950 1371 916 1276 265 1413 1289 1353 875 31 1188 988 228 1042 441 509