THE EFFECT OF THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENTIAL POLICY ON TÜRKiYE–IRAN RELATIONS IN 1970s

Abstract

American Presidential Doctrines play a crucial role in international politics by providing a general strategy for the United States’ (U.S.) allies to follow. The U.S. international policies, like those of all states, are complex and broad-based. However, Presidential Doctrines reveal a basic strategic framework. This study examined the events that occurred in the axis of Iran-Türkiye-Northern Iraq from President Richard Nixon to Jimmy Carter’s administration and analyzed the main outline of the American presidential doctrines that focused on the 1970s. The focus of this study is on the 1970s, during which the United States’ policies toward the Middle East had a significant impact on the mutual relations of regional actors. Adopting a comprehensive approach, this study examines the specific issues of poppy cultivation, the Cyprus Issue, and the embargo crisis, which led to a crisis between Turkey and the U.S. in the 1970s. Additionally, this study analyzes U.S. policies aimed at maintaining the balance in Northern Iraq and Iran during this time. In this study, it was determined that the international crises of the 1970s engendered a significant level of mistrust between regional countries, specifically in relation to the United States, as well as among various regional actors. During this time, the United States implemented a policy of supporting the Northern Iraq region and Kurdish elements in order to create a balance of power between Iran and Türkiye. This policy had the consequence of increasing feelings of insecurity among neighboring countries, but also created opportunities for non-regional actors to devise new strategies.