By Gürkan Demir, Tehran, Iran
The normalization process between Ankara and Damascus, which had been suspended for a while, has been revived following President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent statements.
As the two countries are taking steps towards normalization, Tehran’s position continues to be a matter of curiosity. Dr. Hamid Roushencheshm, a Political Science Department lecturer at Islamic Azad University in Tehran, and Ali Heydari, the Chief of Türkiye Desk at Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, evaluated the potential impacts of the new process on the region and Tehran’s stance.
Dr. Hamid Roushencheshm, who conducts research and studies on Türkiye at his university, stated that the normalization between Türkiye and Syria would open a new chapter in the region. He emphasized that the process of the recent government change in Iran would not alter Tehran’s approach to the region:
“Since 2011, during the ‘Arab Spring’ process, some states faced social challenges and particularly the collapse of governments. During this period, Syria also faced social and internal difficulties. Over the years, as countries in the region weakened, various terrorist movements and groups emerged. The deterioration of Türkiye-Syria relations caused very sensitive and severe conditions in the region.”
Normalization brings prosperity and security
“The initiation of a peace process between Türkiye and Syria can be said to open a new chapter in the region. For Türkiye, this process will reduce economic losses and the damages caused by terrorism. Repairing relations with Türkiye will bring stability to Syria and put the country on a path to prosperity.”
Against the PKK/PYD
“Establishing peace and increasing cooperation between Türkiye and Syria will confine the roles of terrorist organizations like PKK/PYD. To neutralize PKK and PYD in the region, stronger security cooperation between the two countries will be necessary.”
Israel benefits from divisions
“Repairing Türkiye-Syria relations will have substantial impacts on regional conflicts, including Palestine. Zionism benefits from the divisions between the countries in the region. Strong relations among regional countries will effectively counter the actions of the Zionist regime and the US in the region.”
Iran seeks cooperation
“Iran is a significant regional country and is very sensitive to the developments in West Asia. Iran has a positive approach to reducing tensions between Türkiye and Syria. At the same time, Iran is working to create necessary platforms for peace between Türkiye and Syria. One such platform is the Astana talks.
Eliminating terrorist organization
“Repairing relations between Syria and Türkiye will also affect Iran’s relations with both countries. It will create a better environment for increased interaction on various political, economic and even security levels. The normalization of Ankara-Damascus relations will also lead to increased regional cooperation between Türkiye and Iran.
“The terrorist groups primarily in border areas of Iran, Syria and Türkiye, which are supported by external forces, are among the major threats of recent years. Cooperation between countries in the region will be one of the most significant measures capable of marginalizing and eliminating terrorist groups. The coordination and cooperation of Türkiye, Syria and Iran has such a potential.”
Instability and war benefit the US and Israel
Iranian journalist Ali Heydari, noting that the period of strained relations with Damascus has cost Türkiye heavily, said the followings on the rapprochement between the two countries:
“After over a decade of the Syrian civil war, Ankara realized it needs a policy change. Thus, the normalization process with Syria began. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, there are currently 3.5 million refugees in Türkiye. These refugees impact Türkiye’s economic crisis. Secondly, inflation and unemployment have risen sharply in Türkiye over the last 4-5 years. Thirdly, the PKK’s Syria branch YPG/PYD decided to hold municipal elections in northern Syria.”
Aligns with the goals of the Resistance Front
“Iran generally supports peace and stability in the region. In this context, Iran supports Damascus’s demands. Iran does not consider Damascus’s conditions for normalization illegitimate and wants those conditions to be met by Ankara. Iran supports and works for the normalization of Türkiye-Syria relations. Iran declared this stance at the Moscow meeting with Türkiye, Syria and Russia, and in the Astana talks.”
“Regardless of who the president is in Iran, the regional roadmap of the country does not change. Iran has a foreign policy geared towards supporting the axis of resistance. The normalization of Türkiye-Syria relations falls within this essential framework of Iran’s foreign policy. Already, Mesut Pezeşkiyan, when he took office, said they would continue the existing foreign policy in the region.”
Ousting the US from Syria
“The normalization of Türkiye and Syria would significantly contribute to the goal of ousting the US from Syria. Iran has said for over a decade that US troops must withdraw from the region and their bases must be closed. Instability and war in the region benefit the US and Israel’s objectives. If Türkiye and Syria proceed in the normalization path and if Türkiye, Iran and the Islamic world stand against Israel, we could prevent instabilities in the region.”