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Iran, Turkey cooperation on challenges "a must": Rouhani

18 December 2014 03:39 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Cooperation between Iran and Turkey to restore stability and security in the region is a must, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Tehran and Ankara should follow common important objectives vis-a-vis regional challenges and "a close cooperation of both countries will be instrumental to the establishment of stability and security" in the Middle East, Rouhani said in a meeting with the visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

"Today, Tehran and Ankara share common views in fighting terrorism and the integrity of their neighbors and can push with the goals through further negotiations," he said.

Both governments have political will to enhance the level of bilateral ties in diverse sectors, and longer steps are necessary to be taken in this regard, he added.

For his part, Cavusoglu said that he had "useful" talks with the Iranian officials, including his counterpart, during his visit to Tehran and mutual as well as regional developments were discussed in the meetings.

"We believe that together we would be able to find ways" to deal with the challenges, he said.

Turkey's foreign minister arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for talks with Iran's high-ranking officials.

Iran and Turkey enjoy common views on various regional issues and can cooperate in fighting terrorism, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif said here in a joint press conference with Cavusoglu.

Despite some differences over the regional political issues, Iran and Turkey need to work closely to counter their common enemies, including extremism and terrorism in Syria and in Iraq, Zarif said.

Terrorism is threatening Syria, he said, expressing hope that cooperation between the two countries will help the establishment of peace in the Arab state.

Turkey will hold further negotiations with Iran to find resolutions to the Syria crisis, Cavusoglu also said.

Elsewhere, the Turkish foreign minister said that despite differing policies over various regional issues, Iran and Turkey are cooperating in order to find solutions to issues in Iraq, Syria and terrorism.

Turkey believes that it is key to restore peace and order in Iraq by setting up an inclusive government that draws the participation of all the ethnic and political groups, he told reporters.

The two countries are politically at loggerheads on how to deal with the three-year-old Syrian crisis.

Ankara backs the opposition forces, while Tehran is a staunch supporter of current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Such differences have strained their bilateral relations.

The Turkish foreign minister dismissed claims that Turkey buys oil from the the Islamic States militants (IS) in Iraq.

"This an immoral charge" and "We deny this. These kinds of news are a part of psychological operations that some are following," Cavusoglu said.

Turkey also support some European countries' move to recognize a Palestinian state and will back the plan in the United Nations.

Asked about the ongoing talks over Iran's nuclear program, he said that Turkey has supported diplomacy and peaceful solutions to the issue.

"We have backed Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear technology and have always been against militarization of nuclear energy," he added.