Turkey and the Iranian Nuclear Issue: From a Passive Stance to the Actual Contributor tho the Peaceful Solution?
Bayram Sinkaya, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of International Relations, METU / ORSAM Middle E Turkey’s approach towards the Iranian nuclear program has been widely regarded the political circles, especially in the Western ones, as a litmus testing for its loyalty to the alliance with the West. Turkey’s compromising attitude towards Iran in the last year, particularly its opposition to the imposition of new round of UN sanctions on Iran, and its improving bilateral relations with Iran considered by some analysts as a change of axis in Turkish foreign policy, or Islamification of Turkish foreign policy under the ruling AK Party government. This paper argues that Turkey’s involvement in the mediation efforts between Iran and the West, and its compromising attitude towards Iran is based on its interests invested in balancing its good relations with the West and its improving relations with Iran, and preventing escalation of conflicts in its immediate neighborhood, rather than ideological