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The foreign ministers of Turkey and Iran held wide-ranging talks in Tehran yesterday (November 15), focusing on "long-term cooperation" between the countries based on a "new roadmap."
Turkey wants to improve its deep-rooted relations with Iran and hold the seventh meeting of the high-level cooperation council between the two countries this year, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said in a press meeting with his counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
"Our delegations will work to determine a roadmap for a long-term comprehensive cooperation upon Iran's proposal," Çavuşoğlu said, adding that they hoped to sign these agreements before the end of the summit if they are completed in time.
Sanctions and nuclear deal
He noted that Turkey has expressed on all platforms that unilateral sanctions against Tehran are wrong and that "all parties should take the necessary steps" to make the Iran nuclear deal, known officially as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), operational again.
The JCPOA is a 2015 agreement signed by Iran and the five world powers: the US, Russia, China, France, and the UK, plus Germany.
Iran and the EU announced recently that they would resume stalled talks in Vienna on November 29, ending months of uncertainty.
Afghanistan
Citing the situation in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, and the Gulf, he also said work needed to continue for a political solution in Syria and that Turkey is willing to work closely with Iran on these issues, as well as for the stability of the South Caucasus region.
Voicing concern on Afghanistan, Çavuşoğlu said that the views of Ankara and Tehran overlap on many issues related to lasting peace and stability in the country. Amir-Abdollahian also stressed the need to form an inclusive government in Kabul.
Cooperation council
Asked about when the next meeting of the high-level cooperation council would be held between Turkey and Iran, Çavuşoğlu said, "We hope to hold it within this year."
Amir-Abdollahian told reporters alongside Çavuşoğlu that the two sides agreed on a roadmap for long-term cooperation, adding that there was a "lot of consensus" between them on regional issues.
The discussions between the two officials, he said, also dealt with bilateral trade, private sector investments, and effective means of lifting trade barriers between their countries.
He said the two sides would go beyond bilateral issues and explore avenues of trilateral and multilateral cooperation as well, referring to "existing capacities" in the region.
Meeting with Raisi
Çavuşoğlu was later also received by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, with whom he discussed "bilateral relations, including trade, investments and fight against terrorism & the latest developments in our region," he said on Twitter, sharing a photo from the meeting.
"Reaffirmed our mutual will to further develop our relations," he added.
The minister will also pay an official visit to Lebanon, where he and his interlocutors will discuss possible steps towards further enhancing Ankara's bilateral relations with Beirut, along with regional and international developments.
In addition to talks with his counterpart in Lebanon, Çavuşoğlu is also scheduled to be received by the country's president, parliament speaker, and prime minister. (PT/VK)
