Iran’s mullahs have fans in Erdogan’s inner circle

Mahmud al-Batakoshi

The regime of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan contains people related either directly or indirectly to the mullahs’ regime in Iran.

This explains the convergence of views between Iran and Turkey on many files, prominent among which is Turkey’s extradition of Iranian opposition figures to their country.

Turkish Presidency Spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, who is a member of Erdogan’s inner circle, wrote an article recently, in which he expressed admiration of Iran’s mullahs’ regime.

He praised the Iranian Islamic Revolution and its late leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, describing him as the guide of the uprising, leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Imam of Muslims.

Kalin published an article to present the book ‘Akbar Jihad’, which includes Khomeini’s lectures in Najaf.

In these lectures, the leader of the Islamic Revolution called on his disciples to purify themselves in preparation for the struggle and armed jihad against the enemies of Islam.

Kalin is not the only member of Erdogan’s inner circle who admires the Iranian experience.

Records have it that Hakan Fidan, head of the Turkish National Intelligence, was known to the agents of Quds Force, which was led by Qasem Soleimani, before he was killed in an American raid in early 2020 near Baghdad Airport, to have links with entities during 1994.

This was when Fidan was a non-commissioned officer in the Turkish army.

The man was also known for embracing anti-American ideas.

Iranian revolution

One of the files discovered recently by Turkish police explains this point about Fidan.

The Turkish police was conducting an inquiry into the activities of Quds Force in Turkey.

Fidan took over the reins of Turkish intelligence in 2010. He wanted to eliminate the United States and Israel.