First Vice-President Es’hagh Jahangiri made the remark in a telephone conversation with Turkish new Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, while expressing his felicitations over his appointment.
“Given your knowledge, experience and goodwill in regard to bilateral ties, I hope that Iran and Turkey’s relations will enter a new phase and we will witness a further expansion of cooperation in all areas between the two countries,” Jahangiri said.
He went on to add that the two countries must reach a solution to their differences through dialogue and constructive interaction, and base their regional cooperation on issues about which they have similar stances.
Jahangiri further accepted the invitation of Turkish Prime Minister for a visit to Turkey in the near future to discuss bilateral relations and the development in the Middle East.
Yildirim, for his part, expressed his country’s keen interest in expanding cooperation with the Islamic Republic, adding “relations with Iran holds a special significance in the Turkish government and all capacities should be utilized in advancing the two countries’ ties.”
He further highlighted that the two sides should have closer cooperation on regional issues, particularly the crises in Iraq and Syria.
Noting that regional issues will only ever be resolved by the countries in the region, he added “we should not expect other countries to play any significant role in this regard, because they are only after their own interests in the Middle East.”
He also deemed the viewpoints of VP Jahangiri on bilateral and regional issues in accordance with those of the Turkish government, calling for the removal of bureaucratic obstacles against the activities of the private sectors in both countries.
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