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 ommerce, 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.
Iran-Wire Interview with Kourosh Zaim
19 April 2015
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