Economic, political, and strategic issues in Iran-Turkey relations, 2002-2015

Abstract

This article assesses the effects in terms of economic, political, and cross-border relations between Iran and Turkey after the Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP) came to power and examines how and to what extend Turkey intervened in several regional equations while balancing its Western advantages for its national benefit with a clear view toward achieving specific goals. Iran also reaped several positive outcomes even as regional tensions increased. The findings highlight that to manage Western strategic goals in its new international niche, Turkey optimized every potential opportunity for global bargaining to its benefit. Turkey’s relations with Iran were carefully balanced by its Western designs through the calculated applications of choices in various fields of Iran’s foreign policy.