Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Behram Ghasemi said recently that
Tehran expects Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to visit the Iranian
capital, adding that Turkish-Iranian military cooperation will continue
in the future.Speaking at a weekly press conference, Ghasemi said that
Iran wants to host Erdoğan to further enhance cooperation between the
two countries, saying: "We expect President Erdoğan to visit Tehran. We
will announce it by the time the visit date is finalized."
Ghasemi
stressed that Iranian Chief of Staff Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri's
visit turned a new page in relations between Ankara and Tehran, adding
that the recent military rapprochement between the two countries will
continue further. "Bagheri's visit, which took place for the first time
after the Iranian Islamic revolution brought about the beginning of a
new phase between the two countries," Ghasemi said.
Bagheri
visited Ankara for three days earlier in August and held talks with
Erdoğan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar and Defense Minister
Nurettin Canikli. Following Bagheri's visit, Erdoğan said on Aug. 21
that joint military cooperation with Iran on fighting the PKK is always
on the agenda, adding: "There is damage that the PKK and its branch in
Iran cause. We will carry out these discussions with the understanding
that the threats can be defeated with the cooperation of both countries
in a short time."
The visit was considered a milestone in
Turkish-Iranian relations, as the military chiefs of the two countries
had not visited each other since the Iranian Revolution in 1979.
Consultation and cooperation on various military and regional issues
were primary topics during the visit.
