Iran-Turkey Political Relations
Turkey and Iran are key players in the region, and their cooperation and united front would be beneficial to the security of the entire region. From the beginning of the international sanctions against Iran, Turkey became a strategic commercial partner and profited hugely from Iran’s indirect commerce, which helped their economic development and progress.
However, since about three years ago when the uprisings and political developments in the Arab world reached Syria, the opposing stands of Turkey and Iran revealed the severity of their political divergence. One reason was the overambitious aim of the Erdogan-Davutoglu government in reviving the infamous Ottoman Empire. The people of Iran and the region have extremely negative memories of the Ottomans. For Iran, this strategy rings danger to cultural and political sovereignty of the country. The present government of Turkey has nullified all efforts by Nejmeddin Erbakan government in expanding and strengthening Iran-Turkey relations.
On the other hand, partnership of Turkey with Saudi Arabia and Netanyahu’s Israel in organizing and supporting ISIL with weaponry, training and money, declared an ominous pact for the region, mostly against Iran. That is why when ISIL first appeared in Syria and Iraq, I proposed an immediate and effective campaign against ISIL far from Iran’s borders.
Opposite to Turkey’s ethnically, ideologically and historically misleading propaganda to influence Iranian citizen in the Northwest of Iran, the people of our two countries share deep cultural, historical, religious and even genetic ties dating back thousands of years before Ottoman Turks. Stressing the oneness of our mutual civilization can promise a brighter future for the people of our two nations, and have positive effect on the entire region.
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