Reasoning Turkey’s Syrian Shift: A New Track with Iran?

After five years of collision over Syria, Turkey and Iran are collaborating, albeit with differing priorities and goals, aiming at a political settlement in Syria. A main reason for this change has been Turkey’s shifting Syria policy. But why has Turkey’s Syria policy shifted and how does it affect the dynamics of Iranian – Turkish relations. My argument is that Russia’s military role in Syria and its stance against Turkey after the fighter jet incident of November ۲۰۱۵, along with the insecurity spilling over of the Syrian crisis started into Turkey, made Ankara to go beyond its anti-Assad zero-sum-game. This triggered the shifts in Turkey’s Syria policy, which in turn brought about new dynamics into Syria and to the Iranian – Turkish relations as well. The article is focused on the years following Russia’s military involvement in Syria with some references to the beginning of the Syrian crisis.

Keywords:

Iran Turkey Relations , Syrian Crisis , Syrian Peace Talks , Kurdish Question