The “Fall” of Turkey-Iran Relations
The “Fall” of Turkey-Iran Relations Dr. Bayram SİNKAYA, ORSAM Middle East Advisor, Ataturk University, bsinkaya@yahoo.com In the wake of the spread of the “Arab Spring” into Syria in March 2011, rumours regarding the worsening of Turkey-Iran relations have occupied a considerable place in public news and comments. There were concrete developments that backed those rumours. For instance, in March, two Iranian cargo planes flying over the Turkish aerospace were forced to land because they were supposedly carrying arms to Syria. And then Turkey reported to the UN Security Council Iran Sanctions Panel that one of the planes had military equipment, which was banned with the UN Security Council resolutions. However, simply to challenge those claims, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoğlu, meeting with his Iranian counterpart on the occasion of inauguration ceremony of the Kapıkoy (Razi) border gate on April 16, stated; “We announce to the world that Turkey and Iran will rem...