Turkish-Iranian Rivalry in the Middle East: Examining Implications and Manifestations (2002–2020)

Our study seeks to understand the various dimensions and key dynamics of the regional rivalry between Turkey and Iran in the Middle East. This is accomplished by analyzing all international and regional implications and indicators that underlie the international and regional conflict- most notably, the ideological, political, and economic divergences, which fuel hegemony, control, and the expansion of regional influence. Both states have leveraged vital policies and programs, benefiting from their global and regional geopolitical and geostrategic positions, aiming especially to activate self-directed interests and pursue both individual and collective confrontations during the formation of regional alliances to face adversaries in the region. The study further aims to monitor and analyze the orientations, foundations, and determinants of both Turkish and Iranian strategies, as well as the degree of each state's influence on the regional security environment. To that end, it utilizes the most significant political, economic, security, and geostrategic means and mechanisms, emphasizing their roles in shaping the actions of both countries in the context of current international transformations. The Middle East has long witnessed ongoing conflicts and disputes resulting from the clashing interests and strategic objectives of influential powers operating within the regional system. Each seeks to assert regional hegemony and control over areas and countries, against a background of escalating political violence, the fragility of nation-states, the spread of religious and sectarian wars, and worsened security conditions. The abundance of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources-such as oil and natural gas-has enhanced the region’s strategic importance. Among the most active and prominent powers, Turkey and Iran each vie for hegemony, control, and expansion over spheres of influence, relying on the most advanced techniques and international, national, and regional strategies, each according to their strategic vision. The Turkish-Iranian rivalry is thus marked by the intersection of complex and interconnected dimensions, ranging from conflict to cooperation.