A MEETING WITH CENTER FOR IRANIAN STRATEGIC RESEARCH

2 minute reading time

On March 31st 2009, a meeting was carried out in ORSAM with Ambassador Dr. Seyyid Muhammed Kazım Sajjadpour from the Iranian Foreign Ministry and Ambassador Rıza Kerim Jabbari. Ambassador Sajjadpour and Ambassador Jabbari, who are members of the Center for Strategic Research, affiliated to the Guide Ayatollah Ali Khamanei in Iran, addressed certain questions on whether the change observed in Turkey's Middle East policies in recent years could be considered as a structural transformation in Turkey's foreign policy or not, and whether this could show continuity or not. And ORSAM  Specialists explained that there is no change in Turkey's foreign policy parameters, but current interpretations of these exist; also that Turkey has been trying to adapt to new security conditions by establishing relations with non-state actors in the Middle East because of the threat perception from the south, and that many subjects traditionally perceived as a security issue are handled with political considerations from now on. Ambassador Jabbari stated that the change in Turkey's direction has received a great attention in Iran, and that almost every subject from economy to politics on Turkey has been followed by intellectuals and other groups of society with a great curiosity. During the meeting, the cooperation between Turkey and Iran against PKK terrorism was also evaluated.