Only a few weeks into 2012, relationship crises between the Islamic Republic and Western countries, neighbouring Arab states and Turkey escalated. Iran responded to the aggravation of its foreign relation crisis with threatening remarks, suggesting that it would respond to sanction schemes with force while welcoming dialogue with the West under Turkish auspices. Iran’s foreign relation crisis is attributed to several external considerations: the first of which pertains to the destiny of Iran's main Arab strategic ally, the president of Syria, who is on the brink of collapse. The second - albeit to a lesser extent - pertains to upcoming talks between theUnited Statesand the Taliban. The third is certainly related to the Iranian nuclear project, while the fourth concerns what Iranians perceive as a Western enterprise to overthrow the regime.