Zarif in Ankara: We Must Cooperate with Russia, Turkey

Local Editor

Iran's foreign minister emphasized the importance of the roles played on the regional arena by the Islamic Republic, Russia, and Turkey, saying the three countries should cooperate and engage in dialog with one another.

Mohammad Javad Zarif made the remarks on Friday upon arriving in the Turkish capital, Ankara, for talks at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.

This is the first visit by a senior Iranian official to Turkey since the July 15 failed coup attempt in the country. Iran was the first country to condemn the putsch.

"Iran, Russia, and Turkey are considered important players in the region, and they need to engage in dialog and cooperation," Zarif said.

"[Even] if there are differences among the countries of the region, it can be resolved through dialog," he added.

During his one-day visit to Turkey, Zarif will also meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Pointing to the failed coup bid in Turkey, Zarif said, "We believe that the era of bullying and coups is over and [these things] no longer have a place in our region. People's choice and will cannot be suppressed by a military group."

In the aftermath of the coup, Turkey has been moving closer to Russia, gradually mending fences with Moscow following the shooting down of a Russian fighter jet last year.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team