Turkish-Iranian rivalry hits peak as Syria talks kick off
Both countries accuse each other of destabilizing the region and undermining security in Iraq and Syria.
It is hardly a secret that Turkey and Iran are regional rivals along the Sunni-Shiite divide in the Middle East, which only deepened with the failed Arab Spring. Yet rarely has the animosity spilled over into open and bitter verbal sparring.
That is what we see happening now after the latent animosity toward Iran in Turkey surfaced unexpectedly and at the highest level, when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Tehran recently of pursuing “Persian nationalism” in Syria and Iraq.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu followed up on Erdogan’s remark by accusing Iran of pursuing not just nationalist but also sectarian aims in the region.
Tehran responded with equally harsh remarks citing Turkey’s negative role in the region.
