Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 16
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran stands ready to ensure the energy security of Turkey, said the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
He made the statement during a joint press-conference with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara Apr. 16, which was aired live by Iran's state-run IRINN TV.
"We promised Turkey that Iran is able to ensure Turkey's energy security," Rouhani said, adding Tehran can fully meet Ankara's gas, oil, electricity and petrochemical needs.
Rouhani also said Iran and Turkey agreed to expand ties in various areas, adding that the two countries' economies complement each other.
He added that after the removal of international sanctions, grounds are ready for boosting cooperation in various areas.
Closer banking ties have big importance, said Rouhani, adding that Iran and Turkey need to remove obstacles to expand ties.
The two sides also decided to expand banking ties, according to the Iranian president.
He added that Turkish banks can open their branches in Iran in order to facilitate the mutual trade and economic ties.
The cooperation between the Istanbul and Tehran stock markets can also lead to a very positive upheaval in the two countries' capital markets, noted Rouhani.
He also called on the two countries' private sectors to make mutual investments to the export of joint products to third-parties.
Rouhani said Turkey can invest in the infrastructure of Iran's tourism sector.
Cultural, academic and scientific cooperation, as well as, joint researches were also discussed at the meeting, added Rouhani.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian president said regional issues, including the ongoing crises in Yemen, Syria and Iraq, were also discussed at the presidents' meeting.
"We should help regional countries, such as Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan, to resolve their problems," he noted.
Iran and Turkey have no principal differences in political matters, Rouhani said, underlining that the differences in "minor issues" are natural.
Rouhani arrived in Ankara on April 15 evening to hold bilateral talks with high-ranking Turkish officials, especially his counterpart Erdogan.
Tehran and Ankara intend to raise their bilateral trade to $30 billion per year.
Trade turnover between the two countries stood at $13.71 billion in 2014 and $9.76 billion in 2015.
Although the trade turnover dropped by 29 percent in 2015 compared to the preceding year, many observers believe that the decline came amid global economic crisis ruling out the role of the political disagreements.