Iran, Turkey stress resolve for bolstering relations

A high-ranking Iranian delegation to Turkey, led by Iran’s first Vice Presidnet Es’hagh Jahangiri, held a joint session with a Turkish delegation. Speaking at the meeting, Jahangiri referred to recent visit of the Turkish president to Tehran and urged both sides remove all barriers to implementation of reached agreements and elevation of bilateral cooperation.

He said banking, customs and energy sectors were appropriate venues for development of relations and voiced Iran’s readiness to launch further collaboration with Turkey over bilateral, regional and international issues.

Iran’s VP also stressed the need to establish security and fight against terrorist groups inside the region reiterating that all parties could benefit from security cooperation with Iraq.

Underscoring that the referendum on Iraqi Kurdistan had been initiated by the Zionist regime and the US, the official stated that separation of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) could be detrimental to its people.

He also called for more serious steps to tackle plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar saying "efforts should be made to save the oppressed Muslims in the Southeast Asian nation.

At another part of his remarks, Jahanigiri maintained that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was an international deal and no country could leave it individually; "all countries need to make efforts so that the US sticks to the agreement.”

The Iranian VP later underlined that Tehran and Ankara had to spare no effort to realize the 30-billion- dollar figure of trade turnover between the two countries.

Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yıldırım, for his part, confirmed the need to obtain the envisaged figure for trade transactions and called for an early meeting of the Joint Economic Commission in a bid to eliminate existing obstacles.

He also called for using national currencies of the two countries in bilateral trades adding "expansion of transportation as well as banking and custom ties could lead to stronger relations.”

Yıldırım said Tehran and Ankara could have closer cooperation over security issues and in the fight against terrorism, especially in Syria and Iraq.

The official voiced satisfaction towards trilateral cooperation of Iran, Turkey and Iraq towards the referendum on Iraqi Kurdistan and emphasized that regional issues were of great importance and, as such, required joint efforts.

The two sides at the session also underscored the need to pave the path for boosting tourism in both Iran and Turkey.