Turkey And Iran Work Together On Iraq And Libya, Is Israel Next?

Iran and Turkey are increasingly coordinating policies across the Middle East as they work together on several issues. Their relationship has grown as both oppose the US role in Syria, and they have other common interests, such as trade to get around US sanctions and to fight Kurdish dissident groups. In general, this is a partly cynical policy of trade-offs, but there is also unity in their support for Hamas and also their antipathy toward Israel, which may bring Tehran and Ankara increasingly close on issues across the Middle East, from Yemen to Syria.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif went to Turkey on June 15, one of the most high-level meetings he has had during the COVID-19 pandemic. His agenda was clear: he wants Turkey to aid with sanctions relief and an arms embargo. To increase trade, Iran will aid Turkey on several files. That included Iran voicing support for Turkey’s role in Libya. Turkey has recruited Syrian rebels to fight in Libya so Ankara can secure energy drilling rights off the coast. Turkey has sent drones and arms to Libya to support the government in Tripoli against the opposition.

Egypt, supported by Saudi Arabia and other countries, has threatened to intervene to balance Turkey’s role. France and Turkey have clashed over Libya as well. Turkey and Iran have also coordinated to strike at Kurdish militant and rebel groups, with Turkey launching operations Claw Eagle and Claw Tiger in northern Iraq on June 17. In coordination with Iran, the operations aim to increase Turkey’s bases in northern Iraq’s Kurdish region and to try to cut off the Kurdistan Workers Party from Iran’s border.

The Arab League, Iraq and other countries have opposed the invasion of northern Iraq by Turkey and Iran. Iran has begun to target what it calls “terrorists” on the Iran-Iraq border where Kurdish communities are located. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the US views as a terrorist group, is now coordinating with Turkey, according to reports, and Iran’s Tasnim News says that the IRGC is preparing to fight “terrorist” threats from the “Iraqi Kurdistan region.” -Full Report