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Turkey locked in regional rivalry with Iran, Saudi Arabia

Differences over Egypt and Syria are far from resolved, despite some feints at strengthening regional cooperation.
Supreme leaders of Iran, the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (L) and  Ayatollah Ali Khameni (R), are seen on the top of a hill from the Turkish side of the border near the Esendere crossing between Turkey and Iran on June 25, 2012 in Yuksekova, a district of the Turkish province of Hakkari.             AFP PHOTO/BULENT KILIC        (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP/GettyImages)
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Given the scope of the crisis in Syria, Iraq and throughout the region, one might hope that the relatively stable regional powers of Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia would find a way to work together before the situation goes from bad to worse.

Such an expectation, however, is wishful thinking, as these three powers, far from cooperating, are vying for regional influence and contributing to instability in the region along sectarian lines.

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