President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that boosting friendly and brotherly relations with neighbors, Turkey in particular, is an important major principle in Iran’s regional and foreign policy, IRNA reports.
In a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Chavushoglu, he underlined the need for efforts to strengthen all-out relations with Ankara.
Describing consultations between high-ranking officials of both states to enhance bilateral, regional and international cooperation as a valuable opportunity in line with the two countries’ interests, Rouhani said, “Today the two governments are determined to further bolster and consolidate all-out ties between the two neighboring, friendly and brotherly countries.”
Stressing the need for efforts to attain the target of $30 billion in trade and economic exchanges, the Chief Executive said that boosting banking ties between the two countries, using national currencies in trade exchanges and accelerating implementation of agreements reached between Tehran and Ankara can give an impetus to Iran-Turkey economic relations.
Rouhani also voiced his country’s readiness to step up cooperation with Turkey in the energy sector and welcomed presence of Turkish investors and economic activists in Iran’s oil and gas sector.
He further noted that holding summit of member states of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Quds had great impacts on regional situation and called for further attempts to counter enemies’ plots.
Describing Sochi trilateral meeting as a major step in line with solving regional problems, Rouhani said that fortunately, Iran-Turkey-Russia trilateral ties have greatly affected regional developments, but settlement of crises under current situation requires further consultations and cooperation.
The Iranian President stressed the need for stepping up counter-terrorism campaign and preventing separatist actions in the region, saying that unfortunately, some are seeking to disturb geographical borders and after their failure in north Iraq, they have embarked on hatching plots in northern Syria.
“We believe that unity in Syria should be maintained and terrorism should be uprooted so that through peace and calm in the country, regional states can also feel secure,” he said.
“We are ready to promote cooperation with Turkey to help address regional problems and concerns,” Rouhani said.
Maintaining independence of countries and their geographical borders will help promote stability in the region, he said.
Chavushoglu, for his part, evaluated the two countries’ relations as positive, calling for efforts to enhance trade and economic cooperation and facilitate banking relations.
“Today, we should take long steps, through constant consultations and collaboration, in line with promoting Tehran-Ankara relations,” he said.
He also hailed the summit of OIC member states in Istanbul, saying that the event produced good results and foiled the plots against the region.
The Turkish top diplomat said that one of the main goals of the US is to harm friendly and growing relations between Iran and Turkey.
“We believe that we should withstand plots aimed at disturbing regional states’ territorial integrity,” he said.
“Turkish military operation in north Syria is temporary and is only against the terrorists in that region and we have no covetous eye on the Syrian soil,” he said.