Iran and Turkey reinforce bilateral ties in a Turkish foreign minister’s visit to Tehran. Iran is seeking to consolidate its regional positions by restoring old partnerships and launching new ones. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Tehran in the near future.
Iranian Foreign Minister declared that Iran and Turkey will keep high-level bilateral negotiations to establish a protracted cooperation road map. Amirabdollahian further noted that the two sides want to finalize the roadmap in Turkish president’s upcoming visit to Tehran.
Amirabdollahian made the remarks in a joint conference with his Turkish counterpart in Tehran. The two did not refer to timing or agenda of Erdogan’s visits.
Since the takeover of power by the conservative president in Iran, there has been no official ties with Turkey. Amirabdollahian and Cavusoglu talked about diplomatic cooperation, regional affairs, Afghanistan – and global issues.
Iran and Turkey mean to cooperate in an attempt to remove hurdles to growing economic, energy, environmental, and diplomatic relations. As the Iranian minister stressed, the two “pragmatist” administrative systems are serious about promoting commerce, despites obstacles like sanctions and abusive trans-regional conduct, using the private sector and any other capacity in the two nations.
“I’d like to emphasize that the two countries’ relations are deep, historical and intimate, and in developing these ties, we will pay special attention to this,” Hossein Amirabdollahian further explained.
Turkish foreign minister started his words by expressing condolences for the tragedy and devastation of earthquakes in Iranian southern regions. Cavusoglu used an Iranian poem starting by “Where Is the Friend’s Home?”, to stress on how nicely conversations proceeded. “I have always seen the friend’s home in Tehran,” he further added.
Iran and Turkey have similar policies regarding various regional and trans-regional issues. Afghanistan condition, US regional presence to South Caucasus developments are among the main ones.
Iran and Turkey; Common Goals
The Turkish minister said that the two nations’ perspectives on Afghanistan are quite similar. Ankara is in deep worries about the humanitarian crisis in the new Afghanistan and feels that the establishment of an inclusive administration is the only way to address it.
“We are ready to cooperate on Afghanistan. But in addition to our regional cooperation, we’d like to improve our international ties with Iran, and today’s meetings will accelerate development of relations,” Mevlüt Cavusoglu suggested.
Ankara also appreciated Iran’s return to Vienna talks late this month 29 to restart nuclear negotiations. Iran is working on a framework to revive JCPOA, the historic nuclear deal the US withdrew in 2018. Turkish foreign minister believes that reviving the nuclear dead will assist reinforcing regional security. Cavusoglu also stressed the revival of JCPOA will facilitate enhancing the economic partnerships between Iran and Turkey.
The Turkish minister also talked with Iranian President during his visit. Ebrahim Raisi stressed in the meeting that Iran and Ankara’s bilateral ties should be subject to development on all facets for the sake of the nations. Tehran, according to Iranian president, maintains that the area has the potential to resolve its problems autonomously. He further noticed that foreign interventions only facilitate the deterioration and escalation of regional crises.
“That is true just as it is true that 20 years of US presence in Afghanistan led to nothing but murder, bloodshed and destruction. It became clear that Afghanistan’s problems can be solved by the hands of its own people with the help of neighbors,” Iranian conservative president reiterated.
Iran and Turkey have a long history of relationship with ups and downs in different periods. The reinforcement of the partnership may lead to consolidation of Iran’s strategic positions and its regional influence.
