Turkey

Expansion of Iran, Turkey relations benefit region: Zarif

Expansion of Iran, Turkey relations benefit region

The expansion of relations between Iran and Turkey is to the benefit of both countries and the region, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says.

The top Iranian diplomat made the remarks on Thursday in a meeting in Tehran with Turkish Minister of Development Cevdet Yilmaz, who co-chairs the Iran-Turkey Joint Economic Commission.

Yilmaz arrived in the Iranian capital on Tuesday at the head of a 100-member delegation of Turkish tradesmen and investors to attend the 24th meeting the commission.

Zarif pointed to the cooperation between the two countries within the framework of regional organizations such as the Developing Eight (D8) and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), adding, “The Islamic Republic will spare no effort to strengthen multilateral cooperation within the framework of these organizations.”

The Turkish minister, for his part, reported on the talks he has had within the framework of the Iran-Turkey Joint Economic Commission, describing the negotiations as constructive.

He further called for the full-scale expansion of relations between Tehran and Ankara especially in the economic and commercial fields.

This is the first time that a high-ranking Turkish trade delegation pays an official visit to Iran after the two countries signed a “preferential trade agreement” in late January in Tehran during Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s trip.

Iran and Turkey signed several documents on economic, cultural, political, trade, banking, customs and cinematic cooperation during Erdogan’s visit to Iran.

During his official two-day stay in Tehran, Erdogan sat down with senior Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, where the Turkish premier underlined Ankara’s resolve to bring its economic transactions with Iran to USD30 billion by 2015.

The Iranian president said that Tehran and Ankara can expand mutual relations in all economic sectors, including the construction of power plants and refineries as well as industrial, oil and gas cooperation.

He also called for boosting ties between the private sectors of the two countries in an effort to improve economic cooperation.

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