Iran-Turkey Conflict Summer 2016
Iran-Turkey Conflict over Syria Summer 2016
Spring and summer of 2016 will see international conflicts worsening, due to the Mars retrograde period from April 17 to June 30, with tensions coming to a head in August.
There are two major planetary transit events in July-August 2016: the August 18, 2016 lunar eclipse at 26* Aquarius, and Uranus going into direct motion on July 29 at 24* Aries.
These aspects affect the charts of Iran, Turkey, and Syria.
The August 18 eclipse forms a T-square with natal Hades at 26* Taurus in Iran’s chart, in the 10th house, while Mars conjoining Saturn at 6*-9* Sagittarius interacts with Iran’s progressed Saturn 7* Virgo opposing Neptune, bringing frustrations and simmering conflicts to a head.
Uranus goes direct at the same position as Iran’s progressed Mars, 24* Aries in the 9th house. Matters involving borders with neighboring countries and international shipping come to a head.
Iran’s progressed Moon in August 2016 is at 8* Libra, on the cusp of Iran’s 3rd house of neighboring countries, daily transit and commerce. At this time, it occupies the same position as Turkey’s natal Mars at 7* Libra. The link between the two nations at this time is made more pronounced by Turkey’s progressed Moon at 27* Scorpio opposing the position of Iran’s natal Hades at 26* Taurus (both of which form a Grand Cross with the Sun and Moon positions of the eclipse).
The potential for mutual aggravation is high, with Iran feeling that its “territory,” or base of power, has been encroached upon, due to Mars-Saturn in Iran’s 4th house (where Saturn is rising along the western hemisphere of Iran’s chart, increasing Iran’s influence), and that same Mars-Saturn is conjunct Turkey’s progressed Mars at 6* Sagittarius in Turkey’s 6th house of the armed forces.
The Mars retrograde period in 2016 profoundly affects the 6th house of Turkey’s chart, the house of the military and labor force. Mars goes retrograde on April 17 at 8* Sagittarius, conjunct progressed Mars at 6* Sagittarius, with Saturn at 15* Sagittarius, all squaring Neptune at 11* Pisces in the 9th house. Thus this Mars retrograde period signals aggravation and frustration on the part of Turkey that has been building for some time and now reaches the point of activation. (No doubt the problems and cost of absorbing refugees pouring into Turkey from Syria are testing the patience of President Erdogan.)
When Mars goes direct on June 30 at 23* Scorpio, it conjuncts natal Jupiter in Turkey’s chart, activating the 6th house which is ruled by Sagittarius and Jupiter.
At the August 18 eclipse, Mars is again at 6* Sagittarius, conjunct Turkey’s progressed Mars. Uranus is at its stationary point of 24* Aries, opposing Turkey’s natal Mercury-Saturn conjunction at 24* Libra. The link of the progressed Moons mentioned above shows that the potential for harsh conflict lies with these two countries. Turkey is expanding its army and could even risk a military confrontation in order to claim dominance.
However, there are indications that this is, at heart, a territorial dispute over land that is currently part of Iraq and Syria. Both countries are jostling for control of how the Syria/Iraq land mass will be eventually divided and parceled out.
The chart of Bashar al-Assad shows extreme stress during May through August 2016, with the possibility of a severe illness, due to Neptune conjunct his natal Saturn 13* Pisces in the 1st house of the physical body, opposing Jupiter 11*-19* Virgo (conjunct progressed Uranus and natal Sun at 18* Virgo, progressed Pluto 17* Virgo), all forming a T-square to Saturn at 12*-15* Sagittarius. Furthermore, Uranus goes retrograde at 24* Aries, at the same position as his progressed Ascendant. Whether ill health or an extreme shift in fortune, al-Assad is in a very weak position during the summer of 2016. And all of his neighbors have their own ideas of how Syria will be divided and governed once he is gone.
August 23 brings a culmination and release of the tensions that were building during the Mars retrograde period. Mars returns to the position at which it went retrograde, 9* Sagittarius, with Saturn also at 9* Sagittarius.
August 23 for Syria’s chart has Uranus conjunct progressed Ceres 24* Aries in the 3rd house, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter in Virgo conjunct natal Pluto 29* Virgo in the 8th, with Pluto 15* Capricorn conjunct the progressed Moon at 16* Capricorn, squaring natal Mars 15* Libra in the 8th house. The aspects involving the 8th house indicate an important event leading to a massive, permanent shift in how Syria is governed (Scorpio rules the 10th house of government.) With Pluto square progressed Mars and Aries ruling Syria’s 3rd house, with Uranus 24* Aries on the cusp of the 3rd, conjunct progressed Ceres, it is clear that Syria’s borders are violated by a neighbor’s more powerful army.
Any change in Syria would profoundly affect Iraq. August 23 for Iraq’s 2004 chart has Mars-Saturn 9* Sagittarius in the 4th opposing natal Venus 9* Gemini, the North Node 13* Virgo conjunct progressed Ascendant 12* Virgo and progressed Jupiter 14* Virgo, and Pluto 15* Capricorn opposing natal Saturn 15* Cancer and the progressed Sun 18* Cancer. The indications are that foreign domination of Iraq will increase (based upon the presence of foreign militias – Mars-Saturn 9* Sagittarius trine progressed Mercury-Mars 9*-10* Leo).
All of this points to Assad losing control, opening up a huge vacuum in the region, and a rush by Turkey to claim territory, with counteracting strategic moves by Iran.