TEHRAN, Iran ��The dynamics of the Iran-Turkey relationship are changing. A cursory glance at the Turkish prime minister�s March�4-5�visit to Tehran�� including the�way he behaved�and was treated � gives the impression of a change in tone and intentions.�Ahmet Davutoglu�headed a major delegation consisting of five ministers and dozens of Turkish companies and businessmen � one of the largest such missions in the past decade.

Two weeks later, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Turkey, expressing Tehran�s readiness to�enhance economic ties�and regional cooperation. The question is whether these visits indicate a turning point in relations between these two important neighbors.

The Arab Spring added new dynamics to�Iran-Turkey ties. Prior to the uprisings, the relationship was defined by cooperation � both political and economic���in the absence of ideology. The emergence of the Syrian crisis, however, brought ideology to the forefront. Turkey, feeling the urgency to lead the Muslim Brotherhood�s momentum across the region, reduced its choices to backing the Syrian opposition. Meanwhile, Iran, assessing developments in Syria through the lens of a strategic rivalry that saw its competitors arm a peaceful uprising, clung to the status quo. Iran was preserving its regional influence while Turkey was enhancing its sway.

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This article was written by�Hassan Ahmadian for Al-Monitor on Mar. 22, 2016. Hassan Ahmadian is an adjunct professor at the University of Tehran and a senior research fellow at the Center for Strategic Research.