Why Turkey’s Unprecedented Support for Iran

According to Khabaronline, Recent statements by senior Turkish officials — from the president to the foreign minister and the spokesperson of the ruling party — indicate that Ankara views developments inside Iran not merely as an internal matter, but as an issue with direct implications for Turkey’s own national security and for regional stability. In a phone call with Iran’s president, Turkish President Recep

Tayyip Erdoğan rejected what he described as “foreign interventionist scenarios” against Iran and emphasized the importance of Tehran managing the situation through its internal mechanisms.

In the same vein, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan openly pointed to the role of external actors, particularly Israel, in fueling unrest, warning that instability in Iran could have consequences well beyond its borders.

These remarks were echoed by other political institutions in Turkey and extended even to the public sphere, where demonstrations were held in support of Iran and against foreign interference — a development regarded as rare in the history of bilateral relations.

Analysts argue that Turkey’s approach must be understood in light of its own difficult experiences with instability in neighboring countries, especially Iraq and Syria. Large-scale refugee flows, border insecurity, and the expansion of smuggling networks and armed groups remain serious challenges for Ankara.

From this perspective, Turkish officials fear that prolonged unrest in Iran — particularly given the two countries’ more than 560 kilometers of shared border — could trigger new waves of insecurity spilling into Turkish territory.

Economic considerations also play a significant role. Iran remains an important energy supplier to Turkey, and any disruption to Iran’s internal stability could affect gas supplies and bilateral trade.

Beyond economics, long-standing historical and cultural ties, as well as cooperation within regional and international organizations, have created a framework in which Tehran and Ankara, despite their differences, tend to draw closer during critical moments.

At a deeper level, the perception of a “shared threat” has emerged as one of the key drivers of recent convergence between Iran and Turkey.

Following regional developments over the past year, Ankara has become increasingly sensitive to what it sees as Israeli strategies aimed at weakening major regional states by undermining internal cohesion and encouraging fragmentation. This concern is particularly acute regarding the activities of armed Kurdish and other separatist groups, an area where Iran and Turkey share overlapping security priorities.

Taken together, Ankara’s recent positions can be seen as part of a deliberate effort to preserve the status quo, prevent further destabilization, and play a more active diplomatic role in managing regional crises.

Turkey has clearly stated that any escalation — whether through foreign intervention or military action — would be detrimental to the entire region. In this context, Turkey’s explicit support for Iran reflects not emotional alignment, but a calculated strategic assessment in a region increasingly exposed to instability.