The Iran factor in Turkey–Saudi relations

We said that the image of Turkey reflected in the Saudi media and the image of Saudi Arabia reflected in the Turkish media in these days is not heartening. The matter is not only the language reflected in reports on certain events and its partiality. On the Turkish side this is not a matter of a campaign.

There is no question of anyone from Turkey being involved in a hostile campaign against Saudi Arabia. At most, there may be comments in the language used about certain events that would disturb the Saudi side, or a marked orientalist discourse in the way news is reflected. It is not unimportant, but nor is it a matter of a systematic hostile campaign.

Unfortunately, on the Arab side of the media the situation is far beyond this level. These days a heavy campaign of smears and attrition is being waged against Turkey. These days, certain circles originating in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are carrying out an intense propaganda effort with well-prepared short videos claiming that Turkey is very chaotic these days, that it is not safe, that pickpocketing activities aimed especially at Arab tourists have greatly increased, and that a terror incident could occur anywhere in Turkey at any moment.

The videos suggest that it is not sensible for Arabs to go to Turkey when there are Europe, America or very many very safe places in the world. At the same time, those who have investments in Turkey are strongly advised, through exaggerated comments about the losses they may suffer in the future, citing the example of the rapid fall in the Turkish lira, to stop or withdraw their investments.

This appears to be a step that complements the attack we began to experience in the foreign exchange market as soon as we entered the June 24 election process. It is also a meaningful event showing who is entering the June 14 election campaign on which side. The campaign will not stay at the level of discussing the programs or election manifestos that candidates will present to voters. More than that is being realized through such external interventions.

Today we were going to touch on the factors affecting Turkey-Saudi Arabia relations, especially as reflected in the media of the two sides. What drives the media to behave this way?

One of the important issues determining Turkey-Saudi Arabia relations is Iran. Turkey's relations with Iran also reflect in one way or another on its relations with Saudi Arabia. Because for Saudi Arabia Iran is a clear threat, and it finds itself facing Iran on many fronts. In Yemen, Saudi Arabia is fighting together with the legitimacy coalition it has formed against the Houthis, whom Iran supports. It feels the Iranian threat in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and, more importantly, within its own borders.

The Saudi side receives with concern Turkey's support, especially on the nuclear energy program in the UN Security Council and most recently against the US decision to withdraw from the agreement. But frankly this concern stems from a misinterpretation of Turkey's stance. Turkey would never side with Iran against Saudi Arabia, but of course it does not regard Iran as an enemy either.

By contrast, Iran's activities that threaten Saudi Arabia disturb Turkey too, and on those matters Turkey definitely stands closer to Saudi Arabia. It strongly opposes Iran's openly sectarian expansionist policies in Syria, Iraq and Yemen and suffers considerably from these policies. Especially, it does not hesitate to feel the threat directed at Saudi Arabia from Iran, with the same sectarian approach, as if directed at itself directly.

In fact, the interesting side of the matter is that Iran's threat to Saudi Arabia or the Gulf countries serves no purpose other than increasing arms sales by the US, whom Iran also regards as an enemy. Every time the Iranian threat comes up, it is seen that the Gulf countries make arms purchases worth billions of dollars from the US. This alone is enough for us to become aware of the reality of this functional relationship between Iran and the US.

In return, Turkey's having supported Iran's nuclear program in no way means that it also owns Iran's activities or mistakes in other areas. Turkey's support is entirely a matter of principle. Everyone has the right to a peaceful nuclear energy program, even Iran, but no one has the right to a nuclear weapons program, not even Israel.

With this stance Turkey exposes the hypocrisy and unprincipledness of the US and of the world order in general. Why do the powers that say nothing about Israel's existing nuclear weapons oppose Iran's peaceful nuclear energy program? The aim is to voice this question and to form a political awareness. Otherwise, of course, the aim cannot be to hold Iran against Saudi Arabia.

In fact, Turkey recently gave similar support to Saudi Arabia on this matter too. Turkey, again with its firmest stance, opposed the US, which was trying to issue Saudi Arabia a bill for the compensation to be paid to the relatives of those killed in the September 11 attacks.

With this stance Turkey has both given a strong message that we can solve our own problems among ourselves in the region and shown that we can quite well pursue our own independent policies against the US. Thus a way has been found to resolve disputes, when they arise, without necessarily taking one side and without taking the dispute to the level of enmity.

We will continue to examine the other factors affecting Turkey-Saudi Arabia relations.