Iran-Turkey coop. document to be finalized soon

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf arrived in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Wednesday evening to participate in the meeting of the 16th Parliamentary Union of OIC Member States (PUIC) Conference.

Ghalibaf on Thursday met and held talks with Mustafa Şentop, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

"Undoubtedly, the two neighboring countries of Iran and Turkey can play an effective and positive role in regional and international developments through close cooperation", Ghalibaf said during the meeting.

He also expressed hope that in the near future, the strategic agreement between the two countries will be finalized and a roadmap for the development of Iran-Turkey relations will be determined.

There are many common interests between Iran and Turkey, he said, adding that foreign powers do not agree with this cooperation and the promotion of relations between the two countries.

According to Ghalibaf, the US hostility against Iran and the recent pressures on Turkey stems from the power and influence of Iran and Turkey in the region.

Mustafa Şentop, for his part, said that Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is scheduled to visit Tehran to promote bilateral relations and hold strategic meetings with Iranian officials.

"We are also determined to develop the relations between the two countries in the framework of parliamentary relations", Şentop said, stressing that parliamentary friendship groups of the two countries should become more active.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he said that Turkey opposes unilateral US sanctions against Iran, expressing hope that the Vienna talks will be successful.

RHM/5371587