Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 31
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
Conservative Iranian MP Ahmad Tavakoli has urged the Foreign Ministry to cancel a pre-scheduled visit to Tehran by Turkish President Recep Tayyep Erdogan.
The move follows recent statements by Erdogan accusing Iran of seeking to create a Shia-dominated hegemony in the Middle East.
The Foreign Ministry has to make a decision as soon as possible and Erdogan's trip must be cancelled, he demanded, Fars news agency reported March 31.
" Iran seeks to dominate the region. This is really unacceptable, and Iran must know this," Erdogan said at a press conference in Istanbul on March 26, commenting on the beginning of Iran's military operations in Yemen.
"Erdogan's second statement was even more bitter than his first one, as though Iran had acted impudently in bilateral relations," Tavakoli said, pointing to Erdogan's remarks that he will not cancel his trip.
On March 30, Erdogan said despite some government officials in Iran opposing his visit, their stance doesn't reflect Tehran 's official position on the matter. If Iran had been a domineering power, it would have taken the opportunity to take revenge on Kuwait when Saddam Husain invaded that country, he asserted.
The Tehran representative to the parliament pointed out that Tehran is against political hegemony, but has rather always tried to help the underdog.
The Islamic Republic's policy is to respect nations' right to choosing their fate, Tavakoli said, adding that Erdogan is following hegemonic policies aimed at reviving the Ottoman Empire.
Edited by CN