Reuters/Ankara
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Iran yesterday to bolster trade and energy ties, state TV said, in what also looked like a bid to defuse tensions over Syria by capitalising on Tehran’s diplomatic opening to regional rivals and the West.
Erdogan met Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as well as President Hassan Rohani, whose foreign policy of “prudence and moderation” has eased Tehran’s international isolation and revived contact with longtime arch-enemy Washington.
“Our relations with Turkey have entered a new phase and we hope this trend continues. Besides serving the interests of the two countries, we hope our dialogue (with Turkey) serve regional interests as well,” Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham told reporters in Tehran.
“As two neighbours and Muslim countries, Iran and Turkey enjoy many commonalities and many co-operation opportunities.”
Analysts said the main focus of Erdogan’s visit was expanding economic co-operation, finessing any political disputes for now. “Considering that the economy and energy ministers are accompanying Erdogan, we can say this trip is business-targeted,” said Tehran-based analyst Hossein Foroughi.
Erdogan signed three trade deals yesterday before leaving Tehran to fly home, Iranian state television said.
“Today we had a good chance to review bilateral ties,” Erdogan said in remarks translated into Farsi by Iranian television as it showed him meeting Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri.
“I would like to mention specifically, and to express my satisfaction with, the agreement we signed in the preferential trade field,” he said. “It is obvious that we import from Iran crude oil and gas, which are strategic energy sources, and we (will be) able to increase the volume of these imports.”
No details were immediately released about the three trade pacts or Erdogan’s meetings with Khamenei and Rohani, who plans to visit Turkey within the next few months, according to Iranian and Turkish media.
Turkey is keen to increase oil and gas imports from Tehran in anticipation of sanctions against Iran’s huge energy sector being dismantled in the wake of the November 24 deal between Tehran and six big powers under which the Islamic Republic committed to scaling back some of its controversial nuclear activities.
“We hope the process will be finalised with an agreement that will ensure the removal of all sanctions on Iran. Turkey has so far done its best in that regard and will continue to do so,” Erdogan told reporters in Ankara before he flew to Tehran.
