Iraq's Kurds are primarily Sunnis by religion, but they have a far more complicated relationship with Iran.

The two sides are thought to have lost more than a million men in the struggle.

Kurds have a special reason for concern about Iran — its alleged quest for nuclear weapons.

"So we don't like anybody having this kind of mass destruction weapon because we are the face of people who have suffered from it

Iran and Syria are united against the internationally-backed enemies of Palestine

Turkey has increased its non-energy trade deficit to Iran

Economic relations between Ankara and Tehran began to improve after the groundbreaking official meeting between Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Nezer and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

the two made plans to create a joint company to build a natural gas pipeline from Iran to Turkey.

two countries have been working to develop trade ties in recent years

claimed that the two countries were “on the verge of resuming political ties.

Mehrabian said that Iran and Egypt should promote direct trade relations and business investment in their respective economic strength

Ties between Cairo and Tehran were severely damaged by the latter’s 1979 Islamic Revolution and collapsed entirely following Egypt’s recognition of Israel that same year.

a ministry statement claimed that “the coming period will see the start of a new phase of economic relations between Egypt and Iran

Iran offered monetary assistance to Egypt to help with an influx of Palestinians across the Gaza-Egypt borde

December 2008

Gaza.

because of Cairo’s failure to support Palestinians against Israel.[

Relations were further harmed when Egyptian authorities arrested 42 members of Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah in April 2009 for conspiracy to carry out “hostile operations” against targets in Egypt.

Despite these differences, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi stated in a June 27, 2009 press conference that "Iran and Egypt have different opinions in some fields, but we can have international cooperation as we have common interests in other fields.

The Iranian speaker further added that creating unity between Islamic nations, especially Egypt, constitutes one of Iran’s fundamental foreign policy goals

Islamic countries would greatly benefit by an improvement in Iran-Egypt relations, noting that the two countries, in principle, share a common view regarding the situation in the Palestinian territories

Iran has been a source of funding for Lebanon for many years, particularly since Lebanon’s war with Israel in 1982

Iran provided Hezbollah “with money to help fund its reconstruction activities in Lebanon…Iran also had its own groups in Lebanon, rebuilding bridges, roads and mosques

In the recent years, Iran and Lebanon have taken steps to enhance economic cooperation in certain sectors

ran promised Hezbollah $600 million in aid to be delivered through the new Syrian Embassy in Beiru

development of financial ties between the two countries

Iran and Lebanon have actively pursued positive relations since the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979

He added that Iran’s policy towards the country remains to “stand by the side of the Lebanese nation and respect the entire Lebanese political groups” noting that “today the opportunity for cooperation between Iran and Lebanon is greater than ever

no special development and the buses we manufacture belong to decade 40's (1960s

"A powerful and modern Turkey is in Iran's interest. The current level of economic cooperation between Tehran and Ankara is unprecedented in the history of the two countries' relations. The extended cooperation in oil and gas industry can serve as a model for expansion of relations in other fields as well."

Iran perceived its formation as part of the Iraqi war effort and generally was hostile toward it

In general, Iran avoided dealing with the GCC as an entity, preferring to ignore its existence and to treat each country separately. Iran's relations with the six component states varied from friendliness to hostility.

Iran's relations with the other three GCC members--Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia--have been more complex and, throughout the early and mid-1980s, have been characterized by alternating periods of tension and mutual accommodation.

olitical tensions between Tehran and Kuwait increased significantly after the United States agreed to reflag Kuwaiti oil tankers. Iran accused Kuwait and its neighbors, especially Saudi Arabia, of being mere puppets of the "Great Satan."

Iran and Iraq further alarmed the Persian Gulf Arab states.

Iran withdrew from both agreements after the Revolution.

Pakistan and Turkey

Iran and Israel had been de facto allies in the Middle East

All trade with Israel was banned, especially the sale of oil.

Syria has been revolutionary Iran's principal ally in the Middle East.

his relationship involved both political and economic ties