Iran and Turkey plan on continuing high-level diplomatic talks to devise a “long-term cooperation road map” to strengthen ties as announced by Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.
Amirabdollahian said during a news conference in Tehran on Monday, “We hope to finalize the road map in a future visit to Tehran by Mr [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan, the eminent Turkish president”.
This marks the first high-level visit by a Turkish official to Iran since President Ebrahim Raisi started his first term in office around three months ago. It was also the first visit Amirabdollahian has received since early November when he tested positive for COVID-19.
The Iranian foreign minister shared that he and Cavusoglu deliberated bilateral ties, international relations, and the region especially Afghanistan.
He said that as “pragmatic” governments, both Tehran and Ankara have agreed to work together and eradicate barriers on the way of growing energy, trade, consular ties, and environment while helping private sector trade.
Amirabdollahian said, “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”.
Cavusoglu started by extending condolences for Sunday’s earthquakes near Bandar Abbas which resulted in one casualty while leaving dozens injured.
To stress that the talks went well, he referred to a poem by the late celebrated poet Sohrab Sepehri, titled “Where Is the Friend’s Home?”
The minister said, “I have always seen the friend’s home in Tehran,” the foreign minister said.
Regarding Afghanistan, Cavusoglu shared that both countries viewed the situation in a similar manner. Turkey is extremely concerned about the humanitarian situation in the country post the Taliban takeover and is of the view that the formation of an inclusive government is the only way forward.
Cavusoglu said, “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 the development of relations”.
The foreign minister also mentioned Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with international powers, adding that Turkey welcomes the fact that participants will head to Vienna on November 29 to resume talks aimed at restoring it.
Cavusoglu noted that restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), could not only benefit economic ties between the two countries but also aid in enhancing regional security.
Cavusoglu said that the unilateral United States sanctions imposed on Iran since 2018 when the President at the time Donald Trump abandoned the accord are “cruel”, and the US must adhere to the agreement and lift the sanctions.
