Rouhani, Erdogan discuss regional threats, bilateral ties

9 February 2018 11:38 (UTC+04:00)

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Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said in a Thursday phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan that using national currencies in economic transactions could accelerate Tehran-Ankara relations, Press TV reported.

Rouhani also stressed that Iran-Turkey ties should reach a strategic level in all fields.

"Many threats in the region endanger the interests of both countries of Iran and Turkey and other Muslim states," he said. "Given the very close viewpoints of the two countries in regional and international issues, cooperation and mutual political consultations should be continued."

The Iranian president further underlined the need for boosting trilateral ties among Iran, Turkey and Russia and welcomed an upcoming meeting in Istanbul between the three countries' presidents on the Syria crisis.

They held a similar meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi last November.

Iran, Turkey and Russia are the guarantors of a countrywide ceasefire in Syria. The three have been mediating a peace process since January 2016 among Syria’s warring sides in Astana, Kazakhstan.

During Thursday's telephone conversation, Erdogan urged reinforcing relations between Turkey and Iran in all areas of mutual interests.

He stressed that new regional threats show that close cooperation between the two countries is of great importance, expressing stratification with the development of bilateral security and counter-terrorism cooperation.

The Turkish president also invited Rouhani to the Istanbul meeting on the Syria conflict.

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