The Middle East is undergoing a profound transformation as new rivalries reshape its geopolitical order. For decades, the defining conflict in the region was a “cold war” between Iran and the Gulf Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia. This struggle, steeped in sectarian and strategic divides, fueled proxy wars and power struggles across the region.

Today, that longstanding rivalry is being eclipsed by a new competition. The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria and the rise of Turkey as a resurgent power have created a fresh dynamic — not just for regional dominance but also for leadership within the Sunni Muslim world.

Iran, recognizing the growing challenge posed by Ankara’s neo-Ottoman ambitions, is recalibrating its strategy, seeking detente and even entente with the Gulf monarchies to resist Turkey’s expanding influence. These developments illustrate the timeless logic of balance-of-power politics as regional actors adapt to shifting strengths and threats.

The fall of the Assad regime has shattered the Middle East status quo. Once a linchpin for Iranian power projection into the Levant and a key ally of Russia, Syria under Assad served as a critical buffer and as a conduit for Tehran’s influence. The regime’s collapse has left Syria fractured and destabilized, creating a vacuum that Turkey has eagerly moved to fill.

Under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey has adopted an assertive........

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