- PII
- S27822389S0321507525110029-1
- DOI
- 10.7868/S2782238925110029
- Publication type
- Article
- Status
- Published
- Authors
- Volume/ Edition
- Volume / Issue number 11
- Pages
- 14-23
- Abstract
- The Kurdish question, which has gained renewed relevance amid the transformative processes initiated by the Arab Spring and the intensification of the Syrian conflict, has become one of the central and enduring components of the strategic rivalry between Turkey and Iran. In the context of growing instability and fragmentation of the regional security architecture, Kurdish politico-military entities function not only as targets of coercion but also as strategic assets within the framework of soft and hard power projection pursued by Ankara and Tehran. The article explores the multilayered instrumentalization of the Kurdish factor in the rhetoric, diplomacy, and situational alliances of the two regional powers, identifying elements of pragmatic cooperation persisting despite systemic antagonism. Particular attention is paid to the role of external actors (primarily the United States, Russia, and the Gulf states) in reshaping the political landscape of regional interactions. The Kurdish question is analyzed not merely as a localized ethno-political conflict but as a structurally significant component of the Middle Eastern geopolitical field. The study concludes that the Kurdish factor is deeply embedded within the institutional fabric of regional security and possesses the capacity for adaptive mobilization and participation in the formation of emerging centers of influence.
- Keywords
- курдский вопрос Турция Иран ближневосточная безопасность сирийский конфликт региональное соперничество политико-военные образования внешние силы
- Date of publication
- 19.12.2025
- Year of publication
- 2025
- Number of purchasers
- 0
- Views
- 19
References
- 1. Allsopp H. 2014. The Kurds of Syria: Political Parties and Identity in the Middle East. L.: I.B.Tauris.
- 2. Yegen M. 2023. Ethnopolitics to Geopolitics: The Turkish State and the Kurdish Question since 2015. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. Vol. 50. № 4. Pp. 943–961. DOI: 10.1080/13530194.2022.2043146
- 3. Phillips D.L. 2015. The Kurdish Spring: A New Map of the Middle East. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers (imprint of Routledge).
- 4. Ayman S.G. 2014. Turkey and Iran: Between Friendly Competition and Fierce Rivalry. Arab Studies Quarterly. Vol. 1. № 36. Pp. 6–26. DOI: 10.13169/arabstudquar.36.1.0006
- 5. Yildiz K., Fryer G. 2004. The Kurds: Culture and Language Rights. L.: Kurdish Human Rights Project.
- 6. Natali D. 2010. The Kurdish Quasi-State: Development and Dependency in Post-Gulf War Iraq. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press.
- 7. Iraq and the Kurds: The High-Stakes Hydrocarbons Gambit. Report № 120 / Middle East & North Africa. April 19, 2012. International Crisis Group. Pp. 1–40. https://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/gulf-and-arabian-peninsula/iraq/iraq-and-kurds-high-stakes-hydrocarbons-gambit (accessed 15.05.2025)
- 8. Kardas S. 2021. Turkey’s Military Operations in Iraq: Context and Implications. Middle East Policy. Vol. 3–4. № 28. Pp. 133–143. DOI: 10.1111/mepo.12582
- 9. Gunter M. 2011. The Kurds Ascending: The Evolving Solution to the Kurdish Problem in Iraq and Turkey. N.Y.: Palgrave Macmillan.
- 10. Entessar N. 2023. Iran’s Syria Policy and its Regional Dimensions. In: S. Shehata (ed.). The Struggle to Reshape the Middle East in the 21st Century. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Pp. 106–128. DOI: 10.1515/9781399518246-008
- 11. Kasapoglu C. 2022. Drone Warfare: Drone Wars, Defense Economics and Turkey’s Way. Istanbul: EDAM. https://edam.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DRONE-WARFARE (accessed 18.05.2025)
- 12. Özkizilcik Ö. 2020. The Syrian National Army (SNA): Structure, Functions, and Three Scenarios for Its Relationship. Geneva: Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP). https://dam.gcsp.ch/files/doc/sna-structure-function-damascus (accessed 19.05.2025)
- 13. Sinkaya B. 2018. The Kurdish question in Iran and its effects on Iran-Turkey relations. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. Vol. 5. № 45. Pp. 840–859. DOI: 10.1080/13530194.2017.1361315
- 14. Bengio O. 2014. Surprising Ties Between Israel and the Kurds. Middle East Quarterly. Vol. 3. № 21. Pp. 61–70. https://www.meforum.org/3838/israel-kurds (accessed 21.05.2025)
