Türkiye, Iran and Middle Eastern Powers

Introduction

Türkiye and Iran are two major regional powers whose geographical position, historical depth, military capabilities, economic relationships and diplomatic networks give them influence well beyond their immediate borders. Together with major Arab states and other influential countries of the Middle East, they play important roles in the region’s security, energy politics, trade, conflicts and diplomatic alignments.

The Middle East is not a single political bloc. It contains states with different political systems, strategic interests, alliances, economic structures and approaches to regional order. Türkiye is simultaneously connected to Europe, NATO, the Black Sea, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East. Iran is positioned at the intersection of the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the wider Middle East.

Understanding these powers requires attention to several concepts, including regional power, strategic autonomy, balance of power, proxy relationships, energy security, regional security complexes, sectarian politics, geoeconomics and strategic geography.

Türkiye as a Regional Power

Türkiye is a transcontinental state linking southeastern Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus and the Black Sea region. Its geographical position gives it strategic relevance in European security, Mediterranean affairs, Black Sea politics and Middle Eastern geopolitics.

Türkiye has been a NATO member since 1952 and regards NATO as an important element of its security framework. At the same time, Turkish foreign policy engages with Russia, Iran, Arab states, Central Asian countries and other regional actors.

Strategic geography refers to the importance of geographical location in shaping a state’s security and foreign policy. Türkiye’s position gives it access to several strategic regions simultaneously.

Straits geopolitics concerns the strategic importance of the Bosporus and Dardanelles, which connect the Black Sea with the Mediterranean through the Sea of Marmara.

Montreux Convention is the international legal framework governing passage through the Turkish Straits and the status of the Turkish Straits in peacetime and wartime.

Türkiye and NATO

Türkiye’s membership in NATO gives it a central position in the Euro-Atlantic security system.

NATO membership provides Türkiye with collective defence arrangements and participation in Alliance decision-making.

Collective defence means that an attack against one member is treated as a concern for the Alliance as a whole under the conditions of the North Atlantic Treaty.

Türkiye’s geography also gives NATO strategic access and operational relevance in the Black Sea, eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern environment.

Türkiye’s Regional Diplomacy

Regional ownership refers to the principle that countries of a region should play a major role in addressing regional problems. Türkiye explicitly emphasizes regional ownership and regional solutions in its foreign-policy approach.

Mediation diplomacy involves attempting to facilitate communication or agreement between parties to a dispute. Türkiye has periodically sought diplomatic roles in conflicts involving regional and extra-regional actors.

Multi-alignment describes the practice of maintaining relationships with multiple major powers without becoming completely dependent on one external bloc.

Türkiye’s foreign policy therefore combines NATO membership with relationships involving Russia, Iran, Arab states, Europe and Central Asia.

Iran as a Regional Power

Iran occupies a strategically important position between the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Middle East.

Iran’s regional influence is associated with:

• geographical position
• population and economic resources
• military capabilities
• energy resources
• ballistic missile capabilities
• diplomatic relationships
• relationships with non-state armed groups
• historical and cultural influence
• control of or proximity to important transport routes

Regional power refers to a state with sufficient economic, military, political or diplomatic capabilities to significantly influence the affairs of its surrounding region.

Iran’s Strategic Geography

Persian Gulf is a strategically important waterway surrounded by major energy-producing states.

Strait of Hormuz is a narrow maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is one of the world’s most important energy transportation chokepoints.

Gulf of Oman provides access from the Persian Gulf region to the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean.

Iran’s geographical position therefore connects Middle Eastern energy politics with global maritime trade.

Iran and Regional Influence

Iran’s regional strategy has historically involved relationships with state and non-state actors across the Middle East.

Axis of resistance is a term used primarily to describe a network of Iranian-aligned or Iran-associated actors in the Middle East. The composition, degree of coordination and political objectives of these actors vary.

Proxy relationship describes a relationship in which one state supports another actor that operates in a conflict or political environment while the relationship falls short of direct conventional control.

The term should be used carefully because relationships between states and non-state actors can involve varying degrees of autonomy, cooperation and disagreement.

Türkiye, Iran and the Regional Balance of Power

The Middle East contains several overlapping balances of power.

Regional balance of power refers to the distribution of capabilities among major regional states and coalitions.

Major factors include:

• military capabilities
• economic resources
• population
• alliances
• energy resources
• strategic geography
• technological capacity
• diplomatic networks
• relations with external powers

Türkiye and Iran are therefore important components of the regional strategic equation, alongside Arab states, Israel and external powers.

Türkiye, Iran and the Gulf States

The Gulf region contains major energy producers and important financial and commercial centres.

Gulf security concerns the security of states, maritime routes, energy infrastructure and commercial activity in and around the Persian Gulf.

Saudi-Iranian rivalry has historically been an important feature of regional politics, although periods of diplomatic engagement and de-escalation have also occurred.

Türkiye maintains relations with both Gulf states and Iran while pursuing its own strategic interests.

Major Middle Eastern Powers

Important regional powers include:

Saudi Arabia: A major Arab state with significant energy resources, economic weight and influence in Islamic and Arab institutions.

Iran: A major Persian state with substantial population, energy resources, strategic geography and regional networks.

Türkiye: A major Eurasian state with NATO membership, substantial military capabilities and extensive regional connections.

Israel: A major military and technological power whose security relationships and conflicts have major regional consequences.

Egypt: A major Arab state with strategic control over the Suez Canal and significant political and military weight.

United Arab Emirates: A major Gulf economic and diplomatic actor with substantial international commercial connections.

Energy and Geopolitics

Energy geopolitics concerns the interaction between energy resources, political power, security and international relations.

The Middle East remains important to global energy markets because of its oil and gas resources and strategic maritime routes.

Energy security refers to reliable access to energy at acceptable cost and without unacceptable disruption.

Energy chokepoint is a narrow geographical passage through which substantial energy transportation flows.

The Strait of Hormuz is a classic example.

External Powers in the Middle East

The regional order is also influenced by the United States, Russia, China and European states.

External power involvement refers to the political, military, economic or diplomatic participation of states outside a particular region.

External powers may pursue:

• security partnerships
• military deployments
• arms relationships
• energy interests
• trade
• diplomatic influence
• counterterrorism objectives
• maritime security
• competition with other major powers

Key Distinctions

Regional power vs global power: A regional power has disproportionate influence within a particular geographical region, while a global power possesses significant capabilities and influence across multiple regions.

Alliance vs partnership: An alliance normally involves formal security commitments, while a partnership can involve cooperation without equivalent defence obligations.

Proxy vs partner: A partner may act independently while cooperating with another state. A proxy relationship implies a stronger connection to another state’s strategic objectives, although the degree of control can vary.

Geopolitics vs geoeconomics: Geopolitics emphasizes strategic power and geography, while geoeconomics emphasizes economic instruments used to pursue strategic objectives.

Key Terms at a Glance

• Regional power
• Strategic autonomy
• Multi-alignment
• Regional balance of power
• Regional security
• Strategic geography
• Persian Gulf
• Strait of Hormuz
• Gulf of Oman
• Turkish Straits
• Montreux Convention
• Energy security
• Energy geopolitics
• Proxy relationship
• Axis of resistance
• Mediation diplomacy
• Regional ownership
• External power
• Strategic partnership
• Collective defence

Related Glossaries

• 3.4 Balance of Power and Balance of Threat
• 3.5 Hegemony, Polarity and Power Transition
• 5.2 Diplomacy and Diplomatic Practice
• 9.1 International and National Security
• 12.4 Chokepoints, Corridors and Strategic Locations
• 12.5 Resources, Energy and Geoeconomics
• 16.1 Middle Eastern Geopolitics
• 16.3 Gulf Politics and Energy Security
• 16.4 Iran and Regional Power Competition
• 16.5 Türkiye and Middle Eastern Geopolitics

Conclusion

Türkiye and Iran occupy important positions in the contemporary Middle Eastern and Eurasian strategic environment. Their influence arises from a combination of geography, military capability, economic resources, diplomatic relationships and historical connections. Their policies also interact with those of Arab states, Israel and external powers.

For understanding Middle Eastern geopolitics, Türkiye and Iran should therefore be studied not in isolation but as components of a broader regional security and power system.