Journal of Historical Research, Law and Policy 3115-7505 In Press 2027 03 01 Competition and Interaction between Iran and Turkey in Iraq and Its Impact on the Balance of Power in the Middle East Competition and Interaction between Iran and Turkey in Iraq and Its Impact on the Balance of Power in the Middle East 1 15 10.61838/jhrlp.334 EN Journal Article 2025 12 25 <p>Developments in Iraq after the fall of the Baath regime in 2003 turned the country into one of the most important arenas for the redistribution of power in the Middle East and created the conditions for simultaneous competition and interaction between Iran and Turkey. Influenced by geopolitical imperatives, security considerations, economic interests, and historical ties, these two actors have pursued multidimensional strategies in response to Iraq’s newly emerging political structure. Within this framework, the present study was conducted with the aim of examining competition and interaction between Iran and Turkey in Iraq and analyzing their impact on the balance of power in the Middle East. Iran, viewing Iraq as part of its surrounding security environment, has sought to contain potential threats and enhance its strategic depth in West Asia by strengthening the stability of Baghdad’s political structure, expanding security cooperation, and developing relations with Shiite actors and some Kurdish groups. By contrast, Turkey, with a focus on managing threats related to the Kurdish issue, expanding economic influence, establishing trade networks, and engaging with Sunni and Turkmen communities, has adopted a balancing strategy toward Iraq’s domestic and regional developments. The interaction between these two countries in Iraq has a multilevel nature and is reproduced at governmental, party-based, ethno-religious, economic, and security levels. This has caused the pattern of Iran–Turkey relations to move away from direct confrontation and toward a form of managed competition and strategic fluidity. The consequences of this pattern have extended beyond Iraq’s borders and have affected the formation of the balance of power in the Middle East, the configuration of regional alliances, and the pattern of influence exercised by extra-regional actors. Accordingly, the study of post-2003 Iraq has become a basis for analyzing the changing nature of power, competition, and cooperation in the contemporary Middle East.</p> https://jhrlp.com/index.php/jhrlp/article/download/334/286