The related officials at the airport are informed about the incoming plane. Indian officials immediately turn the necessary landing into an official visit. Indian-American Muslim author Fareed Zakaria mentions this anecdote while describing a newly developing world in his book titled “Post-America World.”
The first interesting point in this anecdote is that both countries have a tendency to seize even the smallest opportunity to improve their international relations. The second important point is the tendency of emerging regional powers to shape these relations according to their respective priorities. India does not see this situation as an obstacle to improving relations with Iran.
Reading Zakaria's book while traveling to Iran and Pakistan with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and a large delegation of state ministers, deputies and businessmen accompanying him has been very meaningful because just like India Turkey is one of the growing regional powers. And just like India Turkey is trying to improve its relations with Iran and other neighbors independent from the problems America has with these countries.
We know some of the criticisms that some groups have against this perspective. Some view this as a move away from the West and a turn toward the East. Turkey's warm approach to Tehran is also attracting attention especially due to Iran's nuclear program. But perhaps these criticisms stem from the lack of fully understanding the new diplomacy mentality that Turkey is developing and the new international order that is emerging. Turkey aims to solve all its problems and maximize relations with its neighborhoods including Greece and Armenia.
Besides, is it imaginable for Turkey, which seeks to become an energy bridge between the East and West, to turn its back on Iran, which holds the world's third largest natural gas reserve? Both countries have mutually strategic locations. Iran is Turkey's gateway to Asia and Turkey is Iran's gateway to Europe. As Erdoğan said, these two countries possibly share the world's oldest border. The Iran-Turkey border has never been redrawn since the 1639 Treaty of Kasri Sirin.
Moreover Iran is a market that values $71 million for the Turkish economy. Total trade between the two countries currently amounts to approximately $10 billion. This figure was around $350 million six years ago before increasing six-fold to reach the current amount. Seeing Iranian merchants prefer the Turkish Lira to Euro was very hopeful in this respect. While writing this article in the Iranian Chamber of Industry, Commerce, and Mines, where the Turkish-Iranian Business Council was held, Iranian officials were offering that the two countries should use their own currencies when trading with each other and that banks should open letters of credit in this way. During the meetings, the parties mentioned that the desired trade volume should reach $30 billion. Of course there are problems. For example, While Turkey applies a four percent customs charge to Iran, Iran charges more than 80 percent on some items. Then there were the disappointments that Turkish businessmen experienced with the TAV and Turkcell examples.
During his visit, Erdoğan visited every senior Iranian official starting with religious leader Ali Khamenei. He even met twice with some of them. The most important issue from the perspective of the world is Iran's nuclear problem. Turkey's contribution is very important as it is a country that has a trusted dialogue with both the West and Iran, which is aware of Turkey's position. What Erdoğan said during the UN General assembly is still fresh in people's mind.
There is one point in Turkey's approach toward this matter that is overlooked. Turkey is against Iran developing nuclear weapons. In fact Turkey favors denuclearizing the entire Middle East. Prime Minister Erdoğan even openly stated this desire during a press conference held in Tehran. But Erdoğan believes it is wrong to turn a blind eye to other countries involved in nuclear programs while putting pressure on Iran. He voiced this opinion not implicitly but clearly and directly to the leaders of nuclear countries during the UN Security Council. As far as I know, Erdoğan also voices this same concern to Iranian leaders as well. Furthermore, Turkey distinguishes nuclear weapons from peaceful nuclear energy. As a energy consuming country, Turkey does not favor having peaceful nuclear energy monopolized by a few countries. Therefore, by defending Iran's right to have peaceful nuclear energy it is actually defending its own right to have nuclear energy. From this perspective we can say that Turkey's attitude on nuclear energy is based on principles. Of course whether Turkey's find the same support from Iran and whether Iran is really after nuclear weapons is another subject.
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