Since the diplomatic ties between Turkey and Iran deepened in late 2019, followed by their mutual criticism of the United States, the relationship between the two Middle Eastern nations is more robust than ever. Recently, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised Hezbollah, a powerful Shiite group considered by some to be a terrorist organization, and Hamas Mujahideen, an Islamist militant group that holds Gaza strip territories.
In spite of their divergent foreign policies, Turkey and Iran have worked together to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, trade barrages, and fights over water sources. But their differences on the Syrian civil war, regional hegemony, and Turkeys loyalties to certain Sunni militant groups have remained in the way of deeper military, economic, and diplomatic ties.
To bridge the gap between the two nations, Ankara and Tehran have both been actively seeking reconciliation on key contentious issues. Erdogan has reportedly engaged in secret talks with Tehran to restore neutrality in Syria and ensure the safety of Uighur Muslims living in both countries. Similarly, Tehran recently sought out negotiations with Ankara to resolve the discord over Iranian support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its backing of certain Houthi rebels in Yemen.
While the majority of the talks have remained closed-door, the resulting agreements have yielded positive strides for both countries. Last April, the two nations signed new trade deals and Turkey announced that it would no longer provide support to certain armed opposition groups in Syria. The latest agreements have seen both sides express their intent to increase their cooperation on regional security and energy issues.
By mending relations and embracing mutual interests, Turkey and Iran continue to prove that diplomatic reconciliations, in spite of their past differences, are indeed possible. Turkey, well aware of the importance of having Iran as an ally, is hoping to further strengthen the burgeoning relationship between both countries. And this, if achieved, would be an invaluable asset in furthering Turkeys regional ambitions and ambitions.
Since the diplomatic ties between Turkey and Iran deepened in late 2019, followed by their mutual criticism of the United States, the relationship between the two Middle Eastern nations is more robust than ever. Recently, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised Hezbollah, a powerful Shiite group considered by some to be a terrorist organization, and Hamas Mujahideen, an Islamist militant group that holds Gaza strip territories.
In spite of their divergent foreign policies, Turkey and Iran have worked together to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, trade barrages, and fights over water sources. But their differences on the Syrian civil war, regional hegemony, and Turkeys loyalties to certain Sunni militant groups have remained in the way of deeper military, economic, and diplomatic ties.
To bridge the gap between the two nations, Ankara and Tehran have both been actively seeking reconciliation on key contentious issues. Erdogan has reportedly engaged in secret talks with Tehran to restore neutrality in Syria and ensure the safety of Uighur Muslims living in both countries. Similarly, Tehran recently sought out negotiations with Ankara to resolve the discord over Iranian support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its backing of certain Houthi rebels in Yemen.
While the majority of the talks have remained closed-door, the resulting agreements have yielded positive strides for both countries. Last April, the two nations signed new trade deals and Turkey announced that it would no longer provide support to certain armed opposition groups in Syria. The latest agreements have seen both sides express their intent to increase their cooperation on regional security and energy issues.
By mending relations and embracing mutual interests, Turkey and Iran continue to prove that diplomatic reconciliations, in spite of their past differences, are indeed possible. Turkey, well aware of the importance of having Iran as an ally, is hoping to further strengthen the burgeoning relationship between both countries. And this, if achieved, would be an invaluable asset in furthering Turkeys regional ambitions and ambitions.
