Baku, Azerbaijan, March 30
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran has summoned Barish Saygin, Turkey's charge d'affaires to the foreign ministry to express protest over Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent remarks on the Islamic Republic's regional policy.
Following Erdogan's recent remarks, Iran summoned the Turkey's charge d'affaires in the absence of the ambassador to the foreign ministry and expressed protest over the "unusual and inappropriate" remarks, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Marzieh Afkham said.
The Turkish president earlier accused Iran of trying to dominate the Middle East and its efforts have begun to annoy Ankara, as well as Saudi Arabia and Gulf Arab countries.
Prior to that, Turkey said it supports the Saudi-led military operation against Houthi forces (a Shia group) in Yemen and called on the militia group and its "foreign supporters" to abandon acts which threaten peace and security in the region.
Afkham said that Iran has asked Turkey's charge d'affaires a "clear and convincing response" on the issue, the Islamic Republic's Fars news agency reported March 29.
She also added that Iran's strategic approach towards the region and its neighbors is based on peace, stability and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect.
Iran and Turkey benefit the needed potential to achieve this goal, she underlined.
Erdogan is scheduled to visit Tehran in early April.
Earlier Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister in Consular Affairs Hassan Qashqawi said there has been no change in Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's planned visit to Tehran.
Meanwhile some Iranian conservative MPs argue that the visit should be canceled.
"Even if the foreign affairs ministry takes no step in this regard, we will oblige them to do it," Esmaeel Kowsari, who is a member of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said.
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