The Iranian President Pezeshkian said today: "My brother, Turkish President Erdogan's firm stance in condemning the Zionist regime is praiseworthy. For years, the friendly Turkish people have actively participated in supporting the steadfast Islamic cause. Together, under God's grace, we will walk this glorious path hand in hand."
According to Bloomberg, Turkey is pressuring Gulf Arab states not to join any war against Iran. Ankara has been conducting intensive diplomatic efforts urging Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and other nations to remain restrained. Although Gulf countries are increasingly angered by Iran’s attacks on ports, airports, and energy facilities, they still refuse to directly engage in war unless Iran targets critical infrastructure such as power and water supply systems.
Commentary: Turkey’s dual approach—publicly supporting Iran and condemning Israel while privately pressuring Gulf states not to enter a conflict with Iran—is fundamentally driven by a comprehensive calculation of its own geopolitical security, economic interests, and regional influence: it fears that if Iran loses the war, the resulting fire and refugee flows could threaten Turkey itself and make it the next target of Israel; it does not want to see a Saudi-Israeli alliance dominate the Middle East and thereby diminish its own influence; meanwhile, it seeks to maintain its economic and energy cooperation with Iran, and aims to position itself as a mediator to seize strategic initiative within the Islamic world and in great power competition.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860638518609930/
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