Lawmaker Deplores Turkish PM’s Remarks on Iran

A prominent Iranian lawmaker criticized Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his insulting remarks on Iran, and described Erdogan’s insincere stance on Iran as “a great mistake”.

“Erdogan is committing a great mistake regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran and he is still having links with Israel,” Member of the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Hossein Ebrahimi told FNA.

He pointed to the NATO missile defense shield in Turkey and Erdogan’s remarks that it is not a threat to Iran, and said, “That signifies Erdogan’s lack of sincerity because the missile (shield) is against Iran.”

The remarks by Ebrahimi came after the Turkish Prime Minister said on Thursday that Iran’s proposal to hold talks next week with the six world powers in Damascus or Baghdad instead of Istanbul was insincere.

“The offer going round at the moment, Damascus or Baghdad, is a waste of time, it means it won’t happen, because they know the other side won’t come to Damascus or Baghdad,” Erdogan told a news conference in Ankara.

Iran’s political circles and figures have recently increased their demands for changing the venue of the Iran-G5+1 talks from Istanbul to another Asian city.

Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said that Iraq is a “suitable” option for the next round of talks between Iran and the six world powers since Baghdad enjoys good ties with both negotiating parties.

The last meeting between the two sides took place in Istanbul in January 2011. Iran and the G5+1 had also held two rounds of multifaceted talks in Geneva in December 2010.