Turkey:It was not surprising when the U.S. reimposed sanctions on Iran that it had lifted as a result of the nuclear deal signed by the U.S. and five other countries in June 2015.
President Donald Trump had made it clear during his presidential campaign that the deal was “horrible” and the U.S. would withdraw from it, if he were elected. In May, the U.S. did impose more sanctions in what is regarded by most Middle East analysts as an effort to topple the Iranian government.
Polices intended to topple the Iranian government are meant to weaken Iran’s geopolitical posture in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Afghanistan and Central Asia. Washington thinks Tehran’s presence in those countries diminishes our ability to dominate the Middle East, sustain the flow of oil and natural gas to regional and global markets, and reduces the ability of Israel, allied with the U.S., to influence or dominate the central Middle East and eastern Mediterranean.
It is these polices that threaten the national security interests of Turkey and Iran. Rising tensions between Turkey and the U.S. suggest it will be increasingly difficult to implement Washington’s plan of action, especially against Turkey.
