President Erdoğan: We will not tolerate any formation that targets the security of our country and region

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Hassan Rouhani of Iran held a joint press conference at the Presidential Complex following the Fifth Meeting of the Turkey-Iran High-Level Cooperation Council.

Expressing his pleasure for hosting President Rouhani and his delegation in Turkey on the occasion of the Fifth Meeting of the Turkey-Iran High Level Cooperation Council, the fourth meeting of which was held in Iran on October 4, 2017, President Erdoğan highlighted the importance of the visit taking place at a time of ongoing attempts to put pressure on Iran through sanctions. Hailing the momentum in bilateral relations achieved as a result of high level mutual visits as a result-oriented development that will benefit the both countries, President Erdoğan emphasized the need to work harder and enhance cooperation so as to reach 30 billion dollars in the bilateral trade volume, which was nearly 11 billion dollars in 2017 and 8 billion dollars as of October 2018. The President added: “We carry on with our efforts to create a business environment favorable for our businesspeople and investors and to incentivize business circles. As such, the meeting we are holding right now will be ensured by a business forum at Çankaya Palace bringing together our businesspeople.”

Pointing to the effective cooperation going on at a technical and political level between the two countries with regard to the border security, President Erdoğan expressed his pleasure for the recently increasing contacts between the relevant security units of Turkey and Iran. “We have not tolerated any formation that targets the security of our country and region, nor will we,” President Erdoğan underscored and continued: “We have full determination to further increase our cooperation with Iran on this issue and to eliminate the joint targets we come across with. There are many steps Iran and Turkey can take jointly in order to end the conflicts in our region and to establish an environment of peace. We are further deepening our cooperation and consultations with Iran to this end.”

Drawing attention to the positive outcomes of the Turkey-Iran cooperation as witnessed during the Astana process, also incorporating the Russian Federation, President Erdoğan emphasized that the two countries should increase their efforts aimed at establishing a lasting peace that embraces Syria and the whole of the Syrian people.

“WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAND WITH THE BROTHERLY PEOPLE OF IRAN”

Concerning the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), President Erdoğan noted that the action plan will continue to serve international peace and security so long as all the parties remain committed to it, and said: “The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has so far repeatedly reaffirmed that Iran honors its commitments under the action plan. While this is the case, we don’t find it right for the U.S. to withdraw from the deal. We prefer the solution of the issues not through impositions, but through engagement and mutual negotiations. I would like to reiterate that the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on Iran puts at risk the regional security and stability and that we as Turkey do not support these decisions.”

Stating that they are prepared to take any measure so as to minimize the negative impacts of these sanctions on the legitimate trade between Turkey and Iran, President Erdoğan added that efforts are underway to this end. 

“Our neighborly relations require our two countries to support each other during trying times. We, therefore, will continue to stand with the brotherly people of Iran during this period of mounting pressures on Iran which we think are unfair. Inspired by our deep-rooted past, we, I believe, will further strengthen our relations in the future. I hereby would like to thank once again my treasured brother Mr. Rouhani for the support he lends and for the solidarity he displays.” President Erdoğan said.

PRESIDENT ROUHANI OF IRAN: “SYRIA’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY MUST BE RESPECTED”

President Rouhani, on his part, stated that the relations between Turkey and Iran are built on shared interests and peace as well as regional stability and development. Stressing that no power or no third country can harm the neighborly and brotherly relations between the two countries, President Rouhani thanked President Erdoğan and Turkey for Ankara’s clear and open stance in the face of the unilateral and unlawful sanctions imposed by the U.S. Also pointing to the close cooperation between Iran, Turkey and Russia as part of the Astana process concerning Syria, President Rouhani underlined that the future of Syria must be determined solely by the Syrian people. Pointing out that Turkey and Iran are of the same opinion that Syria’s territorial integrity must be respected, President Rouhani stressed that the cooperation with Turkey will continue for the establishment of peace and stability in the region.