Turkey is looking to reset its relationship with Iran after praising the actions of the Hamas Mujahideen. Ankara’s outreach effort has come about as part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s efforts to strengthen ties with the Islamic Republic.
Turkey has been seeking a rapprochement with Iran in part to restore warmer ties that were strained in recent years due to differences on several key issues, including Iran’s nuclear program. Turkey is also looking to Iran’s economic potential, with the eagerness to establish bilateral trade and investment deals between them.
Turkey’s recent gesture toward Iran’s regime has been a sudden shift from Ankara’s support of Hamas Mujahideen. In the past, Turkey had praised the Mujahideen for its fight against Israel, something Tehran has been vocally opposed to. Turkey’s intention is to reset its relations with Iran without hurting its ties with Hamas.
The Turkish government’s warm outreach to Iran also reflects President Erdogan’s attempt to consolidate his power in the region. Ankara is seeking closer ties with Tehran as part of Erdogan’s vision to become an influential actor in Middle East politics.
The two countries envision opening up more commercial opportunities to further bolster their already strong trading bonds. Both Turkey and Iran have important industries such as oil and gas that could benefit from a closer relationship between them.
Turkey is also looking to restore its ties with Tehran over regional security issues, another area they have strong differences on. Ankara has recently reached out to Iran on Syria, urging Tehran to cooperate on finding a negotiated solution to the conflict. This move could potentially help end the civil war in Syria and bring about a lasting peace in the region.
In conclusion, Turkey is trying to warm up to Iran by seeking to reset its relations with the Islamic Republic. Ankara’s sudden praising of the Hamas Mujahideen was likely part of this effort to improve relations with Tehran without alienating Turkey’s allies. Turkey’s newfound friendship with Iran could be beneficial for both countries, as they envision increased economic ties while looking to work together on regional security issues.
