Qasemi: The Conditions in the Middle East Drive Iran and Turkey Closer Together

The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry mentioned that the purpose of the Turkish President's visit to Tehran on Wednesday was not only for bilateral cooperation but also to discuss regional conditions, including the referendum in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Bahram Qasemi also added that "the conditions in the Middle East and the world today are such that they lead Iran and Turkey towards closer ties and joint actions." On Wednesday, October 4, in an interview with ILNA news agency, he announced that the two countries had had "extensive consultations" regarding the issue of the Kurdistan Region's independence referendum. He emphasized the importance of "maintaining national security" for both Iran and Turkey, stating that "no country jokes with its national security and does not allow its security to be threatened and destabilized by the emotions and insinuations of others." The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson also stressed that negotiation is one of the best methods, while noting that the holding of the Kurdistan Region's independence referendum "ignored" the constitution of Iraq, and that "before discussing negotiations, the question of how Baghdad and Erbil will interact with the central government must be addressed." The independence referendum in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq faced opposition from Tehran and Ankara, and the presidents of the two countries had assessed this referendum as a factor for "creating chaos in the region" during a phone conversation on October 23. The two countries also conducted joint military exercises with Iraqi forces at their shared borders before and after this. The Turkish President threatened the day before his trip to Tehran that if the Iraqi Kurds insisted on their position, Ankara's sanctions would increase. Controlling "minor differences and divergences" between Tehran and Ankara The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson also stated in this interview that "efforts have been made to control issues that could cause minor divergences between Tehran and Ankara, ensuring that the relations between the two countries remain at a satisfactory level of friendship and cooperation." According to Mr. Qasemi, after the failed coup in Turkey, a "different approach" in the relations between the two countries emerged. Iran was one of the first countries to condemn the coup attempt on July 15, 2016, and supported Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Meanwhile, several members of parliament reported that the Iranian Foreign Minister, along with Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force, and Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, were monitoring developments in Turkey until the morning. After the failed coup, the presidents of the two countries held phone conversations, and some analysts expressed hope that relations between the two countries would improve. However, statements from Turkish officials against the Islamic Republic continued for some time. Meanwhile, Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, reacted to these statements on Thursday, February 23, 2017, saying that Turkish officials were "short-sighted" and "ungrateful," forgetting that the Islamic Republic officials "stayed awake all night" to support them during the coup. Iran and Turkey have "entered new spaces in their relations" The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson also referred to Turkey's participation in the Astana talks related to the Syrian crisis in Kazakhstan, stating that "we are witnessing a positive and upward trend" in bilateral relations and regional cooperation between the two countries. Mr. Qasemi emphasized that the two countries, considering global and regional developments, have "entered new spaces in their relations." He also regarded the visit of the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces to Turkey, the first since the Islamic Revolution, as a "turning point and a clear indication of the changing atmosphere of relations between the two countries." Iran and Russia are among the main supporters of Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey is one of the supporters of a group of Syrian government opponents. Nevertheless, Turkey has participated in Astana meetings with Iran and Russia regarding the Syrian crisis. These three countries have so far established four de-escalation zones in Syria. The sixth round of Astana negotiations was held from September 14 for two days. In this meeting, in addition to the delegations from Russia, Turkey, and Iran, representatives from the Syrian government, some opposition groups to Bashar al-Assad's government, and a monitoring group from the United States were present. In recent years, Turkish officials have repeatedly protested Iran's actions in Syria. For instance, the Turkish President, on the eve of his trip to Tehran on March 26, 2015, accused Iran of trying to dominate the Middle East, stating that Tehran's efforts had "exasperated" Ankara, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf Arab states. Following these remarks, some members of the ninth parliament called for the cancellation of Recep Tayyip Erdogan's trip to Iran, but ultimately he traveled to Tehran. Meanwhile, several media outlets in Iran had implicated Mr. Erdogan's family in oil trade with ISIS, an accusation that provoked the Turkish President's anger to the extent that he warned Hassan Rouhani about these media allegations. Iran and Turkey also sent food supplies to Qatar following its sanctions by Saudi Arabia and its allies. In this context, Erdogan in Tehran; Rouhani emphasized combating "separatism" in the region. Erdogan threatened that the Kurdistan Region would face increased sanctions. Rouhani warned about the consequences of changes in the region's geographical borders. Emphasis by Iran and Turkey on "common positions regarding the Kurdistan referendum."