CO-EVENT | VISION DOCUMENT
9TH TÜRKİYE - GULF DEFENCE AND SECURITY FORUM
“Trade Corridors’ Security and Türkiye“
( 27-28 November 2025 | Wish More Hotel Istanbul )
Despite the strong historical and cultural background, it is no longer an option but an obligation for Türkiye - Middle East, or more narrowly, Türkiye - Gulf Countries relations, in which strategic dialogue is still developing, to transform from a fragile axis to a cooperation axis that will adapt to new balances, new roles, and new alliances. With vision and foresight, history and the spirit of the times have long reminded us of this necessity, which has been tested in various crises.
Beyond the brotherhood of religion, language, history, and geography, “strategic mutual interdependence and trust building“ is the fundamental mental threshold in Türkiye - Gulf (Arab) Countries relations. To prevent national priorities and differences between countries from turning into regional weakness and security gaps, they must be managed correctly with a focus on shared risks and opportunities.
The Saudi Arabia - Iran rivalry is significant within the geopolitical and geostrategic context of the Gulf. In this rivalry, which has historical roots, the Shia - Sunni divide on a regional and sectarian axis is a critical issue. The Arab Spring, which began in December 2010, further strengthened Iran in the Middle East and increased sectarian tension between Shia and Sunni for the Gulf countries. Particularly the ongoing civil wars in Yemen and Sudan have further deepened the geopolitical and geoeconomic issues within the Gulf countries.
Since the invasion of Iraq, Iran’s Shia-oriented expansionist and encircling policies’ impact on Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut, and Sana’a has increased the perception of national security threats in the Gulf countries, especially in Saudi Arabia and the broader Arab world. Furthermore, the control of Yemen’s capital Sana’a and the northern regions of the country by the Shia Houthis has led to the emergence of a regional “alliance belt“ in the Middle East. The newly proposed model titled the Ideo-Pragmatic Model (IPM) is presented as the best model to explain the security and foreign policies of ideologically driven authoritarian states like Iran. Depending on the nature of the threat to the survival of the state, the country chooses either pragmatic or ideological approaches. The same model can also be used to analyze the security and foreign policy approaches of countries such as Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela.
New trade corridors created under the leadership of different major powers are changing all the dynamics of regional and global security. The Gulf Countries, with their multi-dimensional strategic potential, are the focal point of this competition, and their preferences and alliances are constantly shifting. In this atmosphere, which aggravates countless turbulences, particularly the situation in Palestine, Türkiye’s role as a balancing power will confirm these dynamics.
Bringing together representatives from the defence, security, and space sectors and institutions of Türkiye and the Gulf Countries, and held annually since 2017, the Türkiye - Gulf Defence and Security Forum will be organized in conjunction with the Istanbul Security Conference, which has institutionalized as a global brand. The forum will continue by strengthening its contribution to strategic cooperation and mutual capacity building and meeting inventory/ecosystem needs.
Main Theme
Trade Corridors’ Security and Türkiye
Sub-Themes
Safe Fertile Crescent and Balance Partnership
Impact of the New Syria on Regional and Global Security Balances
New Threats and Cooperation Opportunities in the Ecosystem
Cooperation in the Security and Defence Ecosystem of the Future
Defence Industry: Land | Sea | Air | Space | Police | Gendarmerie | Intelligence | Strategic Sectors
