How Turkey’s Two-Front War Affects Its Relations with Iran

• 08.28.2015, 18:23
•  Near East,  World

Turkey’s two-front war against the Islamic State and the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) has created problems not only inside Turkey, but also in its relations with the neighboring countries. According to the police intelligence report PKK poses a "high risk" in 12 districts in southeastern Turkey, Hurriyet says. This escalation of violence between Turkish security forces and PKK militants has had its negative impact on cross-border situation with Iran.

Trucks carrying goods between the two countries as well as passenger trains and buses have come under attack in Turkey’s southeaster regions, leaving at least one Iranian driver dead. Turkish transportation companies are reporting as much as a 20 percent loss in business, Al-Bawaba reports.  As many as 600 trucks crossed the Turkish border into Iran per day to carry goods. This number has fallen to 150 after the recent rise in unrest.

Earlier AFP reported that after those attacks Iran closed its main border crossing into Turkey. "The Bazargan border post into the country has been closed," said Davoud Keshavarzian, head of the road traffic organization. However, he said the border remains open from Turkey into Iran. Iran also suspended train services between Ankara and Tehran after PKK's two bomb blasts on the railway in eastern Turkey. At the same time Iranian officials advised Iranian citizens to avoid grounds trips to Turkey and use air route if necessary due to the security problems in the roads of Eastern Turkey. Iran has also expressed its concerns to Turkey’s ambassador over recent attacks. Ankara blames PKK for these attacks.

The crisis between Turkey and Iran entered a new phase when Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif canceled his scheduled visit to Ankara.

The Syrian conflict has been the main problem between the two sides as they support different sides of the conflict and blame each other for creating sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims. While Ankara demands the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Tehran opposes any form of regime change in Damascus. After the signing of the Iranian nuclear deal Iran called on regional cooperation to defeat the Islamic State, noticing that Turkey must respect the sovereignty of Syria and Iraq and coordinate its actions with these countries. Iran said it has 4 point plan to solve the Syrian crisis and is going to represent it to the UN General Secretary.

It is also obvious that after the signing of the nuclear agreement the regional rivalry for influence between Turkey and Iran, which has lasted for decades, entered a new face. Some analysts say the resumption of Ankara’s war against the PKK can further escalate the situation, as Ankara blames Tehran for supporting PKK and using PKK forces as a tool against Turkey.