Iran, Turkey sign series of cooperation agreements

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
19 Jul 2022 17:43

The Iranian and Turkish presidents oversaw the signing of a number of agreements in different fields, including trade and economy.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi with his Turkish counterpart President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

On Tuesday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met with his Turkish counterpart President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Tehran for talks, with bilateral and regional issues topping the agenda.

The two presidents oversaw the signing of a number of agreements in different fields, including trade and economy.

“The two countries shared a desire to upgrade agreements," he said, adding that “Iran and Turkey's trade volume should reach $30 billion."

Raisi emphasized the countries' cooperation on security issues, saying, "[the issue of] border security, as well as the fight against terrorism, narcotics, and organized crime, was emphasized between Tehran and Ankara."

“[Terrorism] might assume different names. [However] terrorism translates into endangerment of people’s security and must be fought with no matter its name so security can be provided for the borders,” the Iranian president noted.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he went on to say that Turkey and Iran reiterate their support for Syria's territorial integrity, adding that “cooperation between the two countries can play a major role in preserving regional and international security and stability."

The Iranian President hoped that Iran-Turkey Strategic Cooperation will boost ties between the two countries.

On his account, Erdogan affirmed that the consultations "will lead to the development of relations" between the two countries, praising Raisi's vision of deepening cooperation with neighboring countries.

"Our common goal is for our annual trade exchange to reach $30 billion," he continued, adding that "it is possible that we can take joint steps to develop cooperation with Iran in the fields of defense industries and liquefied gas."

Erdogan confirmed that Turkey and Iran agreed on countering terrorism in northern Syria and northern Iraq," adding that "the meeting in Tehran aims to revive the Astana process in order to resolve the Syrian crisis."

The Turkish president arrived in Tehran late Monday, leading a large delegation that included several cabinet ministers, and is holding bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as per the Turkish President's office.