Iran Opposes Foreign Presence in Caucasus
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi stressed the need to stand against the presence of foreign parties in the Caucasus, calling for cooperation and negotiation to settle the differences among counties.
In a meeting with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Tehran on Sunday, President Raisi said respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries is the most effective way to counter terrorism.
"The effective exercise of national sovereignty of any government over all its territories is the best way to prevent terrorist and anti-security activities," he said.
After over a decade of severed ties between Turkey and Syria, the two neighboring countries are taking steps toward reconciliation.
Turkey deployed forces in Syria in October 2019 in violation of the Arab country’s territorial integrity.
Pointing to the cultural and historical commonalities between Iran and Turkey, Raisi expressed hope that the two countries would improve cooperation during the new presidential term of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He said the joint economic committee between Iran and Turkey would play an effective role in paving the way for increasing commercial interactions between the two countries, Press TV reported.
The Iranian president emphasized the importance of effectively dealing with the presence of foreign forces in different regions, including the Caucasus, and said all states in every region should solve their problems through dialogue and cooperation.
Fidan, for his part, said Iran and Turkey have great capacities to expand cooperation and are capable of reaching a $30-billion target set for their annual trade.
Heading a high-ranking delegation, the top Turkish diplomat arrived in Tehran on Sunday and attended a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian.