Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Ankara and Tehran have the main differences over the Syrian crisis, Turkish ambassador to Iran Umit Yardim said in an interview with İSNA news agency today.
"These differences can be easily resolved," he said.
The differences relate to the ways of the Syrian crisis settlement.
"As opposed to other countries, Iran and Turkey have always shown a special interest in Syria as this is a Muslim country," Yardym said.
He also stressed that the situation in Syria can negatively affect Turkey and Iran.
Regarding the information disseminated in the media that Iran can become a mediator in the talks between Ankara and Damascus, the ambassador said that Ankara does not hold the negotiations with Damascus.
During the conflict in Syria which began in March 2011, more than 115,000 people were killed in the country and over 4.2 million became refugees in Syrian territory and two million fled to neighboring countries. The main burden of receiving refugees lay on Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The total population of Syria before the conflict amounted to 20 million.
Translated by NH