Routledge Iran-Turkey Relations, 1979-2011: Conceptualising the Dynamics of Politics, Religion and Security in Middle-Power States (Durham Modern Middle East and Islamic World Series)

Both Turkey and Iran are large and important countries in the Middle East; how these two countries relate to each other is of crucial importance both for the region and for the wider world. This book explores the diplomatic, security and energy relations of these two middle power states since 1979, analysing the impact of religious, political and social transformation on their bilateral relationship. It considers the nature of Turkey-Iran relations in the context of middle power relations theory, and goes on to look at diplomatic crises that have taken place between Turkey and Iran since 1979. The author analyses Turkey and Iran’s security relations with the wider Middle East, including the Kurdish-Turkish War, the Kurdish-Iranian War and the Kurdish-Arab War, and their impact on regional politics. Review "Elik weaves a highly readable account of more than thirty years of diplomatic, security and energy relations – and in doing so establishes the central importance of both nations and their relations with each other to the wider regional political landscape... I found the case study of Iran-Turkey relations a worthwhile investment irrespective of the theoretical overlay – and in that sense the book offers something of a dual purpose that should satisfy both IR theory and non-theory inclined readers." - Stephen McGlinchey; e-International Relations, www.e-ir.info "This book is the first comprehensive exploration of Iranian-Turkish relations since 1979... There is a strong theoretical underpinning to the text through the use of a middle-power states framework." - Suleyman Kizitoprak; Insight Turkey, Vol 15, No.02, Spring 2013. About the Author Suleyman Elik is currently Visiting Research Fellow at the Energy Institute, and School of Government and International Affairs, Durham University, UK.