ORSAM REVIEW OF REGIONAL AFFAIRS NO.29, JULY 2015 Göktuğ Sönmez got his bachelor’s degree in International Relations at Bilkent University, his master’s degree in International Relations at London School of Economic (LSE), and is a PhD Candidate now at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. His research areas are International Relations Theory, Turkish Foreign Policy, Enegy Politics, and Religion in International Relations. He conducted research on these areas at several think- tanks including the Center for Strategic Research of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey and the Centre for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies. With the nuclear deal of 14 July 2015, years of tension between P5+1 and Iran seemed to come to an end. What the “post-deal Iran” would bring in regarding the Irani- an-Western relations, Iranian stance in the region, and Turkish-Iranian relations constitutes the framework of this policy brief. In that respect, it is argued that the new era in the Iranian-Western relations in the “post-sanction” atmosphere would potentially bring in quite a number of opportunities in addition to ixing the relationship. Fur- thermore, a better working relationship between the West and Iran and between Turkey and Iran would be possi- ble, which, in fact, could be translated into a more stable Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and more secure energy low to the West. However, the long-term implications of the deal would still depend on the choices of each actor and their capability and/or will to utilise the post-sanctions relaxation to achieve certain political and economic regional and global ends. Göktuğ SÖNMEZ NUCLEAR DEAL: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND, IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REGION AND TURKISH-IRANIAN RELATIONS No.29, July 2015 ORSAM REVIEW OF REGIONAL AFFAIRS