Iran-Turkey: Relations of old friends

Tehran, April 9, IRNA - It has been seen that a new era has begun in Iran with President Hasan Rouhani’s election. From the first day of his election, Rouhani stated his intentions to improve economic ties with Iran’s neighbors including Turkey. In this regard, important improvements have been observed, said the English-language daily ˈTehran Timesˈ in its Perspective column on Wednesday. Turkey-Iran relations are evaluated by the public usually as if they are somehow controversial or in opposition to each other. However, this is a false opinion. Although from time to time they are of different opinions in terms of regional politics, Iran and Turkey are two old friends, the daily added. During the period after Rouhani’s election, diplomatic relations improved further as at least one official visit per month has been realized between Iran and Turkey. Although they support different sides in Syrian civil war, it was shown to the world that positive diplomatic relations could still be carried out between two neighboring countries. The fact that Turkish Republic is a democratic Muslim country has drawn the attention of Iranian intellectuals and Turkey’s position carries vital importance for the future of Iran in the international arena. When we look at the recent past, we see that there has never been any serious tension in Turkish-Iranian relations. During the Persian Gulf War, Turkey and Iran did not experience a significant difference of opinion. For two countries, the economy has certainly served as a unifying force. Turkey has become a popular tourist destination for the Iranian people. One of the only countries in the world that the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran can enter without a visa is Turkey, the daily noted. Although Iran is a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the fact that Iran has such a sociological link with Turkey, even if it does not appear much in the media, shows that Turkey is enhancing its influence on Iran. Turkey shares a border of 454 km with Iran and there is a growing border trade. Tehran, April 9, IRNA - It has been seen that a new era has begun in Iran with President Hasan Rouhani’s election. There are other issues that keeps uniting the two countries around a common cause that cannot be broken. The Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutogluˈs efforts allowing the issue of Iranˈs nuclear program to be diplomatically resolved makes Turkey an important bridge in Iranˈs relations with the West. Another matter that the Turkish side gives importance to is to end sectarian differences; Davutoglu’s suggestion to Iranˈs Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif regarding putting Shia places of worship in Syria under protection of the two countries was well received, the daily noted. It was also highly important that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan gave speeches with no Shia-Sunni discrimination; his foreign policy choices during his last visit to Iran referring to Tehran as “my second home” earned him positive marks from the Iranians. The relations of Iran and Turkey, both of whom are very important Muslim strategic powers in terms of welfare, peace and development in the region, have been moving forward, and are improving further with every passing day, Tehran Times concluded.