Iran urges Turkey to observe decorum in relations

Following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent rhetoric against the Islamic Republic, Iran has urged its neighboring country to observe decorum and mutual respect in bilateral relations.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber-Ansari on Friday called on Iran’s neighboring countries to pay heed to decorum and mutual respect in relations, avoid adventurism and act responsibly in adopting their political stance.

During a televised address in Ankara on Thursday, the Turkish president said he had warned his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani over reports by certain Iranian media repeating Russia’s claims that the Turkish president and his family have been involved in the oil trade with Daesh terrorists.

“It had continued [in Iran] for about 10 days but then they removed it from their websites,” Erdogan said.

His remarks came a day after Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said that Moscow was in possession of evidence indicating the complicity of Turkish president along with his family in the smuggling of oil from territories held by Daesh in Syria and Iraq.

Tensions have been on the rise between Moscow and Ankara since November 24, when Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 fighter jet that Ankara claimed had entered Turkish airspace, an allegation strongly rejected by Moscow. Russia has been carrying out airstrikes against terrorist groups in Syria since September 30, upon a request from the Damascus government.

Jaber-Ansari further warned that Turkey’s support, directly or otherwise, for terrorists will intensify the existing crises in the Middle East.

He said the continuation of policies and adoption of positions, which have intentionally or unintentionally support terrorism in Syria and Iraq, will only intensify the existing crises in the region and increase problems of those countries which continue to pursue such policies.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes a change in such policies as well as the contribution of all regional countries in the fight against terrorism and extremism, and is ready to cooperate and coordinate [efforts] with its neighbors to achieve such an objective,” Jaber-Ansari added.

Turkey is widely accused of supporting militants in Syria seeking to overthrow the government of President Bashar al-Assad.