Relationship dossier
Turkey
Iran
Relationship assessment
Pragmatic cooperation coexists with sustained regional rivalry
Turkey toward Iran
+15Turkey has participated with Iran in the Astana process on Syria and maintained bilateral trade and energy links. Turkish policy has also diverged sharply from Iran's, particularly over Syria and regional competition.
Iran toward Turkey
+15Iran has participated with Turkey in the Astana process on Syria and maintained bilateral trade and energy links. Iranian policy has also competed with Turkey's regional influence, especially in Syria and the South Caucasus.
Overall relationship
+5The relationship is shaped by durable diplomatic engagement and practical cooperation, including the Astana process and trade and energy ties, alongside strategic rivalry. Disagreement over Syria and competition for regional influence prevent the cooperative arrangements from amounting to a close partnership.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Turkey and Iran combine recurring diplomatic and security cooperation with substantial regional competition. They have worked together in the Astana process on Syria and maintain bilateral trade and energy ties. Their policies have often diverged over the Syrian conflict and regional influence, limiting the depth of their partnership.
Areas of tension
- Different policies and aligned parties in the Syrian conflict.
- Competition for regional influence, including in the South Caucasus.
Key developments
Turkey and Iran joined Russia in the Astana process to pursue negotiations and arrangements concerning the Syrian conflict.
Turkey and Iran maintained bilateral trade and energy ties despite recurring political and regional disagreements.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral security cooperation are unclear.
- The durability of trade and energy cooperation amid changing sanctions and policy conditions is uncertain.