In the ongoing row between Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Gulenists entrenched in the state, a major Gulenist accusation against AKP leaders is that they are pro-Iranian and even Iranian agents. Fethullah Gulen's chilly attitude toward Iran and Shiites is well-known in Turkey. While supposedly seeking rapprochement with Christians and Jews in interfaith dialogue, Gulen has never reached out to the Shiites, the other major sect of Islam.
The Gulenist chill toward Shiites has grown into an open enmity over the past three years. Iran, the leader of the Shiite world, is the chief object of Gulenist hatred, which often borders on absurdity and fantasy. Let’s see some of the many examples.