Comments on: Iran’s Next Rival: Turkey

By: Crissy

Crissy — Sun, 15 May 2011 02:14:35 +0000

This forum needed shinakg up and youve just done that. Great post!

By: Tufan

Tufan — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 09:21:32 +0000

Wishful thinking for USA and EU (collectively called Israel).

By: Charlie

Charlie — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:45:19 +0000

The twenty-first century has and will witness the unification of all Muslims. Despite all ramifications, Muslims (shia or sunni), will cooperate because each distinct group has experienced American, English, French tutelage in the region. People are aware, leaders are aware and no interest-driven group will offer an incentive for corrupt governance. Let us not be fooled of nominal clash between Iran and Turkey. Both parties must cooperate with one another because of a common enemy. This is what will unify as opposed to disintegrate them.

By: John Brocklehurst

John Brocklehurst — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:24:57 +0000

Iranian,

Iran’s economy is just over half the size of Turkey’s according to the CIA factbook. This is approximately the same as the estimates of the IMF. So not only are you lying outright, but you aren’t addressing anything in the article itself, you are just insulting the author.

I don’t think I’m the only one who doesn’t find this very convincing.

By: ElamBend

ElamBend — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:53:13 +0000

I should have also noted that the same factors that made the US a natural ally/sponsor for Turkey (and at one time Iran), still apply toward Iran. A powerful ally from far away can make relations with neighbors much more genial.

By: ElamBend

ElamBend — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:45:15 +0000

Anatolia and Persian have always clashed, particularly over the influence in Mesopotamia and the Levant. For all the support they’ve given Hamas, the Iranian regime must of been a bit chagrined to see Turkish flags waived recently have the most recent political crisis there.

In the context of the US/Israel, both regimes seem to be on the same side, but it is an illusion of aligned by conflicting interests. Both regimes are trying to set their countries as the leader among Muslims at large and in the Middle East locally. It is an old game and at some point one will wish to dominate the other. Given the economic differences, I would Turkey is the dominant of the two.

@Dave123, you’re right, but so too would Azeri separatist in Iran (or even Kurds for that matter).

By: Tolga

Tolga — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 06:54:13 +0000

Turkey is not rival for İran. Turkey is İsrail’s and US’s rival. İran is Friend for Turkey. Thank you.

By: Iranian

Iranian — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:42:06 +0000

The author of this article has an Anti-Iranian agenda, he is an Iranian Jew and has long been taking digs at Iran. The first thing he wrote about after the Flotilla attack is how Turkey is becoming the leader of the Islamic world at the expense of Iran. He is trying to create divisions in the Islamic world to distract the attention from Israels crimes.

It’s all nonsense of course. Iran’s economy is larger than Turkey according to the CIA factbook, Iran and Turkey have great relations and Iran has been spending $3 million dollars in Aid to Hamas each year, not the hundreds he is talking about.

By: Alan

Alan — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 04:06:54 +0000

That’s a very eye opening perspective that hadn’t occurred to me. Perhaps then Turkey emerges as a useful foil. As of this point, I don’t see Turkey offering material assistance to terrorist organizations, even as it has definitely, if not permanently, turned anti-western.

By: Dave123

Dave123 — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 22:09:16 +0000

I expect If Turkey becomes a real threat to Iranian influence that the PKK will have a new sponsor