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Relations (1)
related 5.88 — strongly supporting 58 facts
Iran and Türkiye are major regional powers in the Middle East that maintain complex diplomatic, economic, and security relationships, as evidenced by their shared energy partnerships [1], trade ties [2], and geographical proximity [3]. They frequently interact as both competitors and collaborators in regional conflicts, particularly in Syria {fact:12, fact:17, fact:27}, and are both recognized as influential actors shaping the stability of the region {fact:4, fact:6, fact:8}.
Facts (58)
Sources
Opportunities for Collective Regional Security in the Middle East carnegieendowment.org 20 facts
claimFollowing the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, the Middle East experienced an escalation of direct and proxy wars involving Israel, Iran, Türkiye, and armed groups including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Syrian factions.
claimEgypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Türkiye, Israel, and Iran recalibrated their foreign policies in response to the instability and shifting landscape caused by the Arab Spring.
claimTürkiye's support for Islamist groups in Libya, Syria, and Yemen caused its diplomatic, political, and trade relations with most Gulf countries, Iraq, and Iran to deteriorate into tensions and confrontation.
claimThe Arab Spring uprisings caused radical changes to the foreign policies of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Türkiye, Israel, and Iran, similar to how previous conflicts like the Iran-Iraq War, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, and the American invasion of Iraq reshaped the region.
claimRegional actors are currently involved in direct or proxy conflicts: Israel is in tension with Iran; Türkiye is intervening in Syria and Iraq; the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are militarily involved in Yemen; and Egypt is involved in Libya, Sudan, and the Horn of Africa.
claimTürkiye participated in the Astana negotiation process alongside Russia and Iran, aiming to find political solutions to stabilize Damascus.
claimTürkiye has achieved strategic gains in Syria by capitalizing on Iran’s diminishing influence in the Arab Mashreq and coordinating diplomatically with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt.
accountRegional powers including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, and Iran actively sought to secure their national interests during the instability following the 2011 uprisings.
claimThe government of Iran expressed anger toward Türkiye due to Turkish threats against the Iranian-backed Assad regime in Syria, while the government of Iraq's relationship with Türkiye deteriorated due to persistent Turkish military incursions into northern Iraq.
accountBetween 2020 and 2023, the government of Türkiye recalibrated its Middle East policies, taking steps to rebuild diplomatic and economic ties with Arab governments and Iran, and initiated a partial retreat from its unilateral support for armed Islamist groups in Syria.
accountBefore 2011, Türkiye maintained positive relations with Iraq and Iran while fostering trade, economic, and political collaborations with Gulf states, Egypt, and North African Arab countries.
claimSaudi Arabia's ability to shield itself from regional fallout is threatened by direct and proxy conflicts between Israel, Iran, and Türkiye, necessitating a robust collective security arrangement to achieve its domestic and strategic priorities.
claimBenjamin Netanyahu’s government is likely aware that regional powers such as Türkiye, which is focused on curtailing Iranian influence in Syria, are not invested in overthrowing the Islamic Republic or dismantling Iran as a state.
claimAbu Dhabi is concerned about the potential fallout from the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, the resurgence of Islamist groups in Syria, and the geopolitical competition among Türkiye, Iran, and Israel in the Arab Mashreq.
claimTürkiye's military strategy in Syria in late 2024 was enabled by the weakening of Iranian deterrence and Hezbollah, Russia's distraction with the war in Ukraine, and the diminished capabilities of pro-Iranian forces.
claimEgypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Israel, and Iran possess significant political, military, economic, and diplomatic influence that allows them to impact regional stability in the Middle East.
claimIsrael, Iran, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates continue to wield military capabilities in ways that perpetuate cycles of violence and delay meaningful collective action in the Middle East.
claimTürkiye's dual-pronged military approach in Syria aims to eliminate Iranian influence in Damascus and address concerns regarding the threat of Kurdish militancy.
claimBefore October 7, 2023, regional actors adopted varied strategies to increase security: Saudi Arabia sought to ease tensions with Iran, the United Arab Emirates focused on deepening cooperation with Israel, Egypt prioritized national security amidst domestic challenges, and Türkiye reduced its engagement in regional conflicts.
claimThe feasibility of a collective regional security endeavor led by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Türkiye, Israel, and Iran is contingent on overcoming significant obstacles, including mutual distrust, conflicting strategic goals, and the divergent policies of their respective governments.
Experts react: How the US war with Iran is playing out around the ... atlanticcouncil.org 11 facts
measurementTurkey shares a 330-mile border with Iran.
claimTurkey will likely remain a back channel for future de-escalation talks between the United States and Iran.
claimDamage to the Tabriz-Ankara pipeline or a halt in Iranian gas exports would cause immediate energy shortages and price spikes for heating and electricity in Turkey.
measurementTurkey shares a 330-mile border with Iran.
measurementIran provides approximately 15 percent of Turkey’s natural gas supply.
claimThe Turkish presidential office announced that Turkey is not allowing the Küreçik radar station and İncirlik Air Base to be utilized for attacks against Iran.
measurementIran provides approximately 15 percent of Turkey’s natural gas.
claimTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has previously proposed a trilateral mediation framework between the United States and Iran.
claimTurkish diplomatic sources stated that Turkey is not taking sides in the conflict between the United States and Iran.
claimTurkish officials are concerned that a power vacuum in Tehran could enable the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), the Iranian wing of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), to gain autonomy in northwestern Iran.
claimTurkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is leading a diplomatic effort to secure a cease-fire and prevent the collapse of the Iranian state.
The crises in the Middle East: reshaping the region's geopolitical ... link.springer.com 10 facts
referenceInternational actors (the US, EU, China, and Russia) and regional powers (Iran, Turkey, and Egypt) have not played a constructive role in facilitating meaningful negotiations or supporting confidence-building measures for the Arab-Israeli conflict due to their own conflicts of interest and hegemonies, according to Kochavi (2024).
claimThe weakness of Syrian and Iraqi governance has allowed regional powers Turkey and Iran to expand their influence, project power beyond their borders, and assert their interests in regional affairs.
accountRussia emerged as a kingmaker in Syria by utilizing military assistance, diplomatic initiatives, and strategic partnerships with Iran and Turkey to shape the conflict's trajectory and post-war reconstruction.
claimRegional medium powers, specifically Egypt, Turkey, and Iran, are shifting their policies and actions in opposition to the United States' strategy in the Middle East.
claimSaeed (2019b) argues that because the complexities of the Kurdish question in Turkey, Syria, Iran, and Iraq have been neglected, similar unexpected events to the October 2023 conflict could occur in these countries.
claimThe emergence of Turkey, Iran, and Israel as new middle power centers has introduced additional complexity to managing the balance of power between regional actors in the Middle East.
claimHizbulla and Hamas in Lebanon and Palestine, and Kurdish liberation movements in Syria, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, have a crucial impact on the balance of power in regional rivalries.
claimIran maintains a stance on Palestinian resistance against Israel that is as strong or stronger than that of Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
claimChina and Russia are utilizing the BRICS platform and regional powers like Iran and Turkey to support Russian strategic plans and undermine United States hegemony.
claimThe Kurds are an ethnic group with distinct cultural and linguistic characteristics inhabiting a contiguous region spanning Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.
Iran Country Report 2026 - BTI Transformation Index bti-project.org 2 facts
measurementAccording to 2020 World Bank data, Iran’s simple average tariff rate was 15.2%, which is significantly higher than the rates of key trading partners such as Türkiye, China, and Russia.
claimIran manages relations with Türkiye and the UAE by compartmentalizing cooperation on mutual interests while managing tensions.
Iran in crisis: the landscape after the Twelve-Day War - OSW osw.waw.pl 2 facts
Reforming Iran's Energy Policy: Strategies for Sustainability ... jpia.princeton.edu 2 facts
claimIran can pursue regional energy leadership by strengthening energy trade partnerships and collaborative renewable energy projects with neighboring countries, such as exporting electricity to Iraq or natural gas to Turkey.
claimIran could potentially position itself as a key energy corridor by exploring transit routes through Turkey to supply natural gas to European markets.
The Expanding Iran War - ISPI ispionline.it 1 fact
claimTurkey faces strategic and economic risks from prolonged destabilization, including uncertainty over Iranian retaliatory targeting, rising energy prices, domestic economic fragility, and renewed migration pressures.
Iran at a Historical Crossroads - E-International Relations e-ir.info 1 fact
claimThe potential fall of Damascus from Iran's sphere of influence, driven by a Turkiye-backed rebellion against the Assad regime, would constitute a significant strategic loss for Iran by eliminating its foothold in the Levant and severing the land bridge to Hezbollah.
UN: Amid Security Risks in Middle East, Humanitarian ... globalissues.org 1 fact
accountNATO forces destroyed an Iranian missile that had entered Turkish airspace.
Ethnobotanical and Food Composition Monographs of Selected ... ouci.dntb.gov.ua 1 fact
referenceRivera D, Matilla-Riquer G, Obón C, and Alcaraz F (2012) published a diachronic ethnobotanical review of ancient and traditional plant uses for food and medicine in the Near East and the Caucasus, covering Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey.
After Khamenei: Regional Reckoning and the Future of Iran's Proxy ... stimson.org 1 fact
accountIn 2024, Iran's power projection capabilities suffered setbacks with the fall of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad to Turkish-backed Sunni Muslim forces and the assassination of Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah by Israel.
War by Proxy: Iran's Growing Footprint in the Middle East - CSIS csis.org 1 fact
accountBy December 2016, ground forces in Aleppo routed rebel forces, who subsequently departed the city under an agreement brokered by Russia, Turkey, and Iran.
The Impact and Implications of the Ukraine Crisis - Interpret interpret.csis.org 1 fact
claimThe United States and Europe are expanding the definition of national security to impose multiple rounds of sanctions on Russia and forcibly decouple from the Russian economy, while Russia is hedging by strengthening cooperation with China, Iran, Turkey, and other countries.
Geopolitics of the energy transition: between global challenges and ... geoprogress-edition.eu 1 fact
claimThe Israeli-Palestinian escalation and rivalry among regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey complicate the political conditions necessary to support energy cooperation and infrastructural investment.
United States Foreign Intelligence Relationships everycrsreport.com 1 fact
claimCountries such as Turkey, Pakistan, Iran (under the Shah), Iraq, and Afghanistan have provided basing rights to the United States while facing higher political risks for doing so.
The Arab Approach to Mediation—Reshaping Diplomacy in a ... washingtoninstitute.org 1 fact
claimThe United Arab Emirates has prioritized de-escalation and normalization with Iran, Israel, Turkey, Qatar, and Syria to support its focus on regional stability and economic diversification.
Energy asset stranding in resource-rich developing countries and ... frontiersin.org 1 fact
claimGermany maintains energy partnership agreements with Algeria, Angola, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Norway, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, USA, and Uzbekistan.