For more than a decade, Turkish President Recep Erdogan exploited the plight of Syrian refugees to invade and occupy parts of Syria. His forces still occupy Idlib province in Syria but the Turks have soured on the refugees. Erdogan now wishes to get rid of them since his mission to overthrow the government of Bashar al Asad has failed.
Erdogan continues to embarrass himself by political antics that have resulted in his losing much domestic support. They have also undermined prospects of the ruling AKP.
As neighbors, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey are natural candidates for road and rail links. Hitherto the railway connectivity was ignored but China’s Road and Belt Initiative has given boost to plans to build railway tracks to link the three countries and open the way for trade with Europe.
Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan’s policies continue to confound observers. What is his real agenda and whether there is still a possibility of Iran-Turkish alliance that would benefit the entire Muslim world?
Turkey and Iran are two of the leading Muslim countries in the world. Despite policy differences in certain areas, they need to work together and not allow their overzealous supporters to spoil these relations.
