Former Iranian ambassador to Türkiye:
Erdogan is a better option for Iran, region
Ebrahim Beheshti
Staff writer
Türkiye’s presidential election will be held on May 14. It seems that election competitions are raging between the two main candidates, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the leader of the Republican People’s Party Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The Republican People’s Party is a secular party. Iran Daily had a discussion with Firooz Dolatabadi, an Iranian diplomat and former ambassador to Türkiye, on the country’s political competition.
What are the most important issues of public opinion in Türkiye that could affect the outcome of the election?
I believe that Türkiye’s foreign policy and regional relations, and the inability of the current government to manage the earthquake crisis are the top issues of the Turkish society, although the economy is also important, but it is not the main issue. After several years, the country has not been able to solve its problems with Syria and Iraq, especially the Kurdistan Region. On his re-election campaign, Erdogan has focused on the economy and is trying to attract votes by promising economic benefits to the people. In contrast, his rival, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, has focused more on criticizing the inefficiency of the government and does not have a clear plan even in the economic field.
Does this mean that Erdogan’s rivals do not have constructive plans and are hoping for criticism against the current government’s record?
Yes, therefore, neither rival plays to the people’s main concern, which is regional issues and Türkiye’s foreign policy. Because Türkiye’s foreign policy is still confused. It is difficult to predict the outcome of the election. People may vote for Erdogan again because the change of the presidency will upset the current order of Türkiye despite the criticisms the government has received, and the government of Kılıçdaroğlu will not be able to establish an efficient order. Kılıçdaroğlu does not have a specific foreign policy plan, and the Republican People’s Party has been oriented towards the West in the last 40-50 years, and this approach is far from the main issues of Türkiye, which are regional and neighborhood issues. In addition to these behaviors and some positions of Kılıçdaroğlu as a secular politician, it may also be associated with insulting the religious community, which will have negative effects on his votes.
Which side does Iran prefer to win?
In my opinion, Erdogan’s victory is a better option for Iran. Because Tehran has a 20-year experience of cooperation with Erdogan’s government, and with the Turkish government approaching reforms, this cooperation can be strengthened. Regional countries, especially the Arab states, are more inclined towards Erdogan. Although Erdogan’s ambitious policies have led to problems and disagreements between Arab countries and Türkiye, these countries prefer Erdogan because, like Arab countries, Erdogan is a Sunni Muslim, and it will be more difficult for these countries to work with the secular government of Kılıçdaroğlu. Despite economic cooperation with Türkiye, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are worried that Erdogan’s policies will cause them problems and, therefore, they may not be happy with Erdogan’s victory.
Will Erdogan’s defeat be a better option for Western countries?
The West would be pleased with Erdogan’s defeat, but the West’s current problem in the region is more Iran than Türkiye. The West seeks to solve its problems with Iran, and the West welcomes any of the presidential options that can help in this direction. Westerners, especially Europeans, do not like Erdogan, but they are worried that Kılıçdaroğlu would not be a significant weight in regional issues.
Erdogan has tried to solve problems with his neighbors with a military approach, which is costly. On the other hand, his rival does not have significant experience in politics, in addition to the fact that he has not presented a specific plan for regional issues.