Saudi-Iranian crisis complicates Ankara’s regional plans
Islamists and secularists alike want Turkey to stay out of the Iranian-Saudi conflict.
![SAUDI-SECURITY/TURKEY Shi'ite protesters carry posters of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr during a demonstration in front of Saudi Arabia's Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, January 3, 2016. REUTERS/Osman Orsal - RTX20V2E](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2016/01/RTX20V2E.jpg/RTX20V2E.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=XwpSC_Lj)
Rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran have put Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on the spot again, providing a fresh example of how its Islamist/Sunni-driven “strategic plans” for the Middle East can be undermined by unforeseen developments.
Pressure began building after the Saudis beheaded 47 prisoners, including popular Shiite cleric and critic Nimr al-Nimr, on Jan. 2. This latest, and to date most dangerous, crisis between Saudi Arabia and Iran began only days after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Riyadh for talks with King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud aimed at increasing cooperation on regional issues, most notably on Syria.