Turkey FM: Iran-Turkey relations to become "backbone of regional stability" in the Middle East

Turkey FM: Iran-Turkey relations to become "backbone of regional stability" in the Middle East 

hurriyetdailynews.com [Turkey] 27-Nov-13

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu declared today that renewed Turkish-Iranian ties will "become the backbone of regional stability" in the Middle East, also predicting that energy cooperation between the two countries would enable Turkey to "become the corridor" by which Iran would deliver fuel to the rest of the world. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) government of which Davutoglu is a part, and which is led by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, attempted in the mid-2000s to forge close ties with Tehran. As late as 2009, Erdogan was describing Iran and its then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in glowing terms. Turkish media also conveyed analysis today to the effect that Turkey's metals trade with Iran, especially its gold trade, "may hike dramatically" as Western sanctions were eased. For his part Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan expressed hopes that even the six-month interim agreement between the P5+1 and Iran would see an increase in Turkish exports to Iran. Turkey's regional influence has been in free fall - Egypt this week expelled Ankara's ambassador - and Ankara may seek to break out of its regional isolation by aggressively pursuing rapprochement with Tehran.