The role of energy in Iran-Turkey relations

This study investigates the fundamental reasons for the Iranian-Turkish energy rapprochement from 1996, when the first gas agreement was signed between Iran and Turkey, until the AKP administrations, and the attempt to find whether the ongoing reconciliation indicates Turkey?s rearrangement rationalization in the international system. It applies a strict qualitative analysis to consider the perceptions of the decision makers throughout the intergovernmental partnership process with Iran on major energy policies: energy security, economic relations and Iran?s nuclear program. It counterbalances the main arguments of foreign policy and energy analysts. The required data has been collected through considerable elite/analyst and content analysis of the Turkish, Iranian, and international media. The findings of this study reveal that the Iranian and Turkish governments need each other in the energy field. Iran needs Turkey to export and transit its oil and natural gas into the European market. Turkey requires Iran to diversify its energy resources. Turkey?s energy demand is increasing rapidly due to rapid industrialization in some parts of Turkey, and Turkey has to supply its demands from a reliable resource. By 2007 and 2008, Iran and Turkey signed two memoranda of understanding to export Iran?s gas to European market while supplying Turkey?s natural gas demands, but due to technical and financial problems, especially US sanction on Iran?s energy sector those MoU did not realize