iran, Turkey Stress Security Cooperation

TEHRAN (defapress)- Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli and his Turkish counterpart Süleyman Soylu in a meeting in Ankara underlined the need to broaden mutual cooperation, specially in security fields.

News ID: 73022

Date: 12 October 2018 - 15:44

During the meeting in the Turkish capital on Thursday, Rahmani Fazli and Soylu explored avenues for bolstering and reinvigorating bilateral ties between the two countries' security bodies.

"Regional issues could serve as one factor for mutual cooperation between the two countries’ interior ministries," Rahmani Fazli said during the meeting with his Turkish counterpart.

The Turkish minister, for his part, lauded the two countries' cooperation in joint fight against terrorism, drug trafficking, illegal immigration, smuggled goods, as well as cooperation in improving border security.

Rahmani Fazli, heading a high-ranking political-security delegation, arrived in Ankara on Thursday.

In relevant remarks on Tuesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Speaker of Turkey's Grand National Assembly Binali Yildirim emphasized the need for consolidating unity between Iran and Turkey.

The two top lawmakers made the vow in a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 3rd Eurasian Parliament Speakers Meeting in Turkish resort city of Antalya.

During the meeting, Larijani affirmed that strategic cooperation between Tehran and Ankara will serve the interests of the two countries.

Saying that US is disappointed with seeing the friendly and strategic relations between Iran and Turkey, Larijani added “US and some regional countries are upset at seeing strategic cooperation between Tehran and Ankara and following the successful measures taken by Iran, Russia and Turkey in solving the Syrian crisis, their concerns have only been increased but Tehran and Ankara, with their strong historical roots, will not be shaken in the face of such threats”.

Emphasizing that Iran and Turkey should be more united in order to advance their join purposes, Larijani added, “Trade cooperation is a good opportunity to accomplish the goal that should be developed by adopting measures”.

The Turkish official, for his part, condemned terrorist attack in Iran's Ahvaz that left 25 people dead, expressing his deepest sympathy and condolence to the families of the victims and to the Iranian government.

He then stressed that Iran and Turkey have always stood by each other’s side, adding that the Iran-Turkey-Russia initiative for putting an end to the Syrian civil war has upset some countries to the point where they have started to play other games against these three countries, implying the sanctions regime.

He said Iran, Turkey and Russia could expand their regional cooperation in Syria by overcoming all oppositions in order to add newer dimensions to security, defense and military issues.

Yildirim then voiced regret over the US unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, stressing that Iran and Turkey could not just stand aside and watch as the US’ unpredictable measures continued to alter the course of regional developments.

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