Iranian President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad said that Iran and Turkey should broaden their relations in political, economic, and cultural fields, as well as increase the volume of their trade transactions, IRNA reported.
President Ahmadinejad made the remarks in a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Tehran on Thursday.
The president termed Iran-Turkey relations as historic, consolidated and enhanced.
He pointed out that the bilateral economic relations and the volume of trade transactions between Iran and Turkey in different sub-divisions of the economic sector, especially in the field of energy are considerably satisfactory.
'Iran and Turkey should try to expand the bilateral, regional, and relations, as well as increase the volume of their trade transactions more than before by making use from the existing potential and capacities. This is because further expansion political, economic and cultural ties will be in the interest of advancement, welfare, and security of both nations,' President Ahmadinejad added.
The president pointed out that the Iranian and Turkish officials should work at removing the present obstacles through bilateral cooperation and exchange of views, as well as increasing the volume of their trade transactions, particularly in the field of energy and crude oil.
Referring to the fact that both Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkey as independent countries have common enemies, President Ahmadinejad pointed out that the global powers do not want countries like Iran and Turkey to make progress and become powerful in global arenas. 'Hence, we should try hard to be vigilant vis-à-vis their plots.'
He thanked the transparent stances of Turkey pertaining Iran's peaceful nuclear activities.
'Iran and Turkey have always been beside each other in many international events. They have always responded to the arrogance of the western countries and global powers in serious manner and independently,' President Ahmadinejad added.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his part called for further expansion of the bilateral cooperation between Iran and Turkey in different political, economic, commercial and energy areas.
'The government and people of Turkey have always in a transparent manner supported Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear energy stances and they will seriously pursue the same policy in the future,' Erdogan added.