The relations between the islamic republic of iran and the republic of turkey have always been peaceful since the establishment of the modern states. Yadvare reghabate tarikhi iran turkey relations from 2002 to 2012. 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. Iran s strong economic relations with turkey have helped partially offset the pressure of unilateral western sanctions.
The reasons why turkey and iran maintain cordial relations in the aftermath of the syrian crisis despite so many divergences of interests will also be among the concerns of the study. From ideological enmity to pragmatism during the first 70 years of the 20th century, this ideological rift between turkey and iran perished. Turkey relations, 2 the potential s400 deal and its implications for u. Hide footnote however, they also share deep historic, cultural and economic ties. Turkeys relations with iran central asiacaucasus institute. It argues that modification of foreign policy paradigms in turkey. This is true even for an area like syria where the interest of turkey collides with iran and russia.
Yemen has a history of shifting alliances amid interference from outside actors, with relations between iran and various yemeni groups no exception. Turkey saw the events as an opportunity to naturalise its relations with the middle east and wanted to export its values of democracy, human rights, and market economy, while leaders in tehran concluded that the arab spring had been inspired by the iranian model of revolution, calling. Turkey iran relations as two neighboring countries, turkey and iran share 560 kms long border, unchanged for almost 400 years. Sunnimajority pakistans relations with shiamajority iran became strained at times due to sectarian tensions, as pakistani shia muslims claimed that they were being discriminated against under the sunnibiased islamization program being imposed throughout pakistan. Turkey and iran support opposing sides in the syrian war. Turkey tensions have raised questions about the future of bilateral relations and have led to congressional action against turkey, including the specter of possible sanctions. Turkish iranian relations are now being seen as moving towards cooperation, if not alliancebuilding. Turkey and russia have vastly different strategic priorities and visions. 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 that time hentov 2011. 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. Nevertheless, both countries officials emphasize the importance of continued. The last session of jec between turkey and iran was held on 1718 september 2019 in ankara. Erdogan has so far succeeded in preventing the operation from taking place. So why have ties between the two nations warmed in recent months.
Both turkey and iran have sought to exploit the emerging new order in. Modern turkey was established in 1923 after a war of independence against european colonial powers, and its current government is. Turkey iran business council was established in 2001. A larger percentage of literature on iran turkey relations have focused on economic and trade partnership between these two 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. In light of this significant international interest in turkish iranian relations, this brief analyzes the evolution of those relations in the past decade, giving may 2012 no. In the meantime, turkish iranian relations have considerably improved. These have shifted from bilateral cooperation to competition, intensifying the historical rivalry between the two countries in extending their influence in the middle east. After pakistan gained its independence in august 1947, iran was one of the first countries to recognize its sovereign status. Even the impassioned psyche of the iranian revolution in 1979 didnt hinder turkish iranian relations. Security council plus germany, zeybekci said turkey supports iran in this cause, and in the past when heavy sanctions were levied on iran, turkey was the only country that stood by.
Geopolitical and geostrategic considerations of iran and turkey since the 1990s onwards have coupled with the economic needs of the two countries. At the top of our list was russia, because of the multifaceted strategic partnership turkey. However, iranian turkish collaboration has not been seamless over this time. Considering the diplomatic engagements between ankara and tehran, it would be wise to divide the turkish iranian relationship into three distinct periods. A longterm perspective turkey responded to its postcold war identity crisis with a multidimensional approach that focused on opening up to and building ties with traditional zones of influence from the balkans to the caucasus. The most important factor contribut ing to the growing strains in relations has been turkey s support for the opposition to syrian. To narrow our focus at the outset of writing this report the authors discussed what we thought would be the top targets for turkey s foreign policy moving forward. This ability to work with iran has put a lid on tensions between the two countries. To be sure, turkey s transition is not yet complete. Pdf after the jdp came to power in turkey in 2002, much has changed in turkish foreign policy as well as profound changes in international. Turkeys role in the middle east united states institute. Houthis as iranian proxies is a gross oversimplification.
Turkishiranian relations in a changing middle east rand. Such a characterisation, however, is premature and is reading too much into diplomatic niceties. Pdf turkeyiran relations after the jdp researchgate. Faslnamehe motaleate siasi quarterly of political studies, 19, 7. Both countries were similar to each other in terms of domestic and foreign policy fields. This article examines turkish iranian relations in the 2000s, when the two countries initiated an unprecedented rapprochement. What is behind the hostility between iran and turkey. Turkey is also playing a larger role on the diplomatic stage, featuring in negotiations over iran s nuclear program and serving as an example for many in a middle east searching to find a larger role for islam in political life.
Particularly fluctuations in turkish iranian relations in the. Only a few scholars have taken a superficial examination of the political relations between iran and turkey. It has an area of almost 800,000 square kilometers, and borders bulgaria, greece, georgia, armenia, iran, azerbaijan, iraq, and syria. Reminder of the revival of the historical competition. Ups and downs in turkey s relations with syria and iran in parallel with turkey s. Pdf turkeyiran relations after the jdp bayram sinkaya. Indeed, the seventeenyear record of jdp rule in turkey and its implications for turkish iranian relations are worthy of study. On the eve of mondays referendum on the future of iraqi kurdistan, iranian armed forces conducted a significant military drill on the border between iran and iraq as tehran warned the kurds not to move forward with the plebiscite. Meanwhile, iran s supreme national security councilthe entity in charge of crafting and communicating the countrys security strategyannounced that it. Turkey and iran in the region and in their relations with each other. Today, turkey finds it easier to work with iran and russia than its western allies. Turkey and iran both have sought to exploit the emerging new order in the region to achieve their respective interests in the middle east. In december 1965, president ayub khan visited turkey and expressed his profound gratitude to the turkish president gural for the moral and material support provided to pakistan during indopak war of 1965. Economic, political, and strategic issues in iranturkey.
The kurdish question has brought about ups and downs in iran turkey relations. Iran in turkey s near abroad in iraq and syria, ankaras relations with tehran will remain fraught with tension and contention as each attempt to shape the countries political and strategic. Relations have been strained by a number of issues. Other proposed legislation would condition turkey s. However, the relationship between turkey and iran has a history longer than the jdp rule in turkey.
Rapprochement is also anchored in substantial economic and trade ties. The arab spring has intensified the historic rivalry between turkey and iran, two of the. In the immediate future, turkey is ambivalent about a russian and iranian backed military assault on the last rebelheld town of idlib in syria. Nato radar in turkey serves to protect israel, associated press, 5 october 2011. Iranian gap came in may 2010 when, hoping to head off a new round of international sanctions on iran s nuclear program, turkey and brazil. Turkey and iran have been on opposite sides of the conflict in. Nato activity in turkey, 3 possible alternatives to the s400, and 4 various scenarios for the f35 program with or without turkey s participation. Turkey s future role in the middle east 23 conference participants 27 about the author 28 about the institute 29. Given that iran s direct assistance to kurdish separatist groups in southeast turkey primarily kurdish hezbollah, a kurdish islamist group, and pkk was a staple policy during the 1990s, the turkish military welcomed such a pragmatic warmup in ankaratehran relations. Turkey and iran have heavy mutual influence on each other, due to geographical proximity, linguistic and ethnic relations e. Iran should reconsider relations with turkey, mehr news, 28 april 2016. The republic of turkey is a country located in both western asia and southeastern europe. Relations between south yemen the peoples democratic republic of yemen or pdry and iran changed entirely after the 1979 iranian revolu.
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