Change in region geography, spreading insecurity: Rouhani

“Today political, economic, and international relations between Iran and Turkey are at a good status but we have to endeavor to boost military and defense cooperation in consistency with other areas,” asserted President Hassan Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Monday, referring to growing level of cooperation between Iran and Turkey.

The Iranian top executive made the remark during his meeting with General Hulusi Akar, Turkish Chief of General Staff, in Tehran.

The Iranian top official maintained that Iran and Turkey as two Muslim and deep-rooted countries of the region with a lot of commonalities, are facing a host of shared threats like terrorism, insecurity, and instability.

“To clear these threats and to move toward shared interests, relations and cooperation between Tehran and Ankara should be broadened,” highlighted Mr. Rouhani.

Fighting terrorism and preserving the geopolitical borders of the region were highlighted by President Rouhani as the two top priority of Iran and Turkey in developing bilateral ties. “Iran and Turkey, as two significant countries of the region who act like anchors of stability, will yield in better results and contribute to resolution of more regional conflicts if they stand along each other and move toward the same cause,” affirmed the Iranian president.

“Any instability in geopolitical borders of the region will spread insecurity and chaos in the region,” articulated Mr. Rouhani after stressing on bolstering the efforts to strengthen central governments of Iraq and Syria, preserve territorial integrity of states, fight against terrorism and anti-regional destabilizing efforts, and encounter plots to change the borders in the region.

The Turkish General Akar, in this meeting, for his part, voiced content with meeting with Iranian President Rouhani and voiced hope that expansion of ties between Iran and Turkey produce more stability and security in the region.