Suspicious Alliance
Islamic Republic of Iran which is usually questioned with its use of her oil and natural gas resources for its population also there are some interpretations which defines Iran for using its resources for exporting its regime. Anti-governmental activities are rising day by day in Iran, because of high level of unemployment and financial difficulties. Approach which defends that Iran's use of resources for having power in its region, is getting empowered by those events. Iranians are one of the efficient and governor nations in Middle East and analyses which refer to they do not abandon their Persian Empire dream are very popular recently. Before the Islamic Revolution, achievements of Iran Shah Pahlavi was known, Shah Regime was using its all resources for military and technologic developments just like today. Iran had the world's fourth largest army in the Shah regime. Iran had the most developed airplanes of that era, F-14A Tomcat and F4 Phantom war planes and also tank planes called Boeing KC-707 were in the Inventory of Iran. Hoovecrafts which were only owned by English and US armies were also parts of Iran Army at that time.
Alongside with this strong army, Iran was planning to build 25 nuclear plants in the beginning of the 1970s. While having huge natural resources, it was wondered that what would Iran do with nuclear power. A state which has nearly no industry was giving the clues that it will develop nuclear weapons with nuclear power. After the collapse of Shah Regime wealth is decreased and peoples' lives had changed. Iran Army cut its power support to Revolutionary Guards and Iran Foreign Policy became an important issue in world politics. The most loyal ally of US in Middle East became the one of solid anti American countries. Desire for being an absolute power and nuclear power tendency of Iran did not changed. Another stable thing was the Turkish-Arab and Iran rivalry in the region. Important part of this rivalry and mistrust derived from the denominational conflict which was continued for a long time in Middle East. Iran's propaganda for spreading Shiite in the region was rising tensions in the Region. In this sense, if Turk, Iran and Arab relations are considered, Turks did not have an open conflict with Iran since 17th century. Especially after the Caldiran Victory of Yavuz Sultan Selim, Persians did not try to spread Shiite in Anatolia. Relations between Iran and Arab Countries are not similar with Turkish-Iran relations. Shiite is so much spread in Arab countries like Gulf Countries, Saudi Arabia and especially in Iraq. Sunnis which are the majority in Islamic population is disturbed from Shiite propaganda and regime propaganda of Islamic Republic of Iran. Arab countries beware of a strong Iran State and its affects in the region. It can easily remembered that just after the Islamic Revolution, Saddam Hussein attacked Iran because he taught that Iran was lost its military power. War between Iran and Iraq caused so much economic loses for both these 2 countries in the long term. Iran's income increased after the increase of the oil prices and Iran had important steps for its passionate foreign policy and regime exportation. It should be admitted that Mahmud Ahmedinejad took Iran to a position that Iran must be considered as an important country and Iran become an active country in the world politics.
In the last twenty years, Iran's power properly increased in the middle east, especially in Lebanon and Iraq. Shiite people of these ethnically Arab countries had a position which favors Iran more than Iranians. Iran's aggressive stance about the nuclear energy issue which becomes a open threat as constructing nuclear weapons, disturbs west and Israel as known but this persistence of Iran, disturbs some Arab countries since the last year.
In this period, all the governors of the Arab countries become fearful of Iran. They are not alone about this issue and they are getting closer to the Arab's supreme enemy Israel. Iran has a technology program which aims to launch missiles to the space and Iran has the possibility of having nuclear missiles. Especially worries of Saudi Arabia and Gulf Countries increasing day by day. Worries getting to a point in which even Saudis are meeting with Israelis after the closed doors because a powerful Iran loses Arabs sleep. Declarations of Arab diplomats are also interesting that: foreign intervention to Iran cannot be accepted but Iran's nuclear weapon armament cannot be accepted either, this situation will lead all of us to chaos.
It is also remarkable that some IR experts are analyzing the issue as: Arabs and Jews are at war for one century but Arabs and Persians are at war for centuries. Especially approaches of Saudi Arabia and United Arab States are not likely to a position which Iran would want. United Arab States are blaming Iran for invading their three islands in the Gulf. Saudis are blaming Iran for provoking the Shiite minority in the east provinces of Saudi Arabia. Egypt cut its diplomatic relations with Iran after the assassination of Enver Sedat. Jordan had shown her worries with the declaration which defends that Iran Shiite movement starts to become a siege like a crescent around the Middle East. Anti-Iranian Arab policies getting closer to the US and Israeli policies. In this sense, embargos applied to Iran started to applied by some Arab countries onto Iran too. United Arab States suspended almost 40 bank accounts which are related with Iran also UAS started to control and seize some goods which will be transported to Iran in Dubai and Abu Dhabi ports. Another important issue risen recently is the testing of Israel planes to reach Iranian nuclear targets without recognition of Saudi Arabic air defense system. Another similar rumor is, in a possible conflict Israel planes will be allowed to use Iraqi air space and Americans will not reject it just like Saudis.
All these evidence shows that power conflict in the Middle East still continues and it will continue in the future. Essential issue for Turkey is to keep the sensitive balances in the region and Turkey has to analyze the issues in respect to the this region's countries and their people not according to the foreign forces.
