Hegemons seeking to hinder progress of Iran and Turkey: Ahmadinejad

TEHRAN,April 2(MNA) – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the hegemonistic powers are making efforts to hinder the progress of Iran and Turkey. Ahmadinejad made the remarks during a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Tehran on Wednesday. Iran and Turkey have stood by each other in many international arenas and have put up resistance against the hegemony of certain Western countries, Ahmadinejad stated. Iran and Turkey, as two independent countries, have common enemies, he said, adding, “The hegemons never want to see countries like Iran and Turkey making progress… So we should be vigilant about their plots.” On the relations between the two countries, Ahmadinejad stated that efforts should be made to increase the value of bilateral trade. He added that Tehran is keen to expand relations with Ankara in all areas. Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian president thanked Turkey for the stance it has adopted toward the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program. Erdogan said, “The Turkish government and people have always supported the nuclear stance of the Islamic Republic of Iran and will seriously continue to follow this policy.” He also called for the expansion of ties with the Islamic Republic.