TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said on Saturday that security and stability in regional countries, especially in Iraq and Syria, should form the basis of interaction and cooperation between Iran and Turkey.

Rouhani made the remarks during a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Tehran.

“Today, the regional situation is volatile and expansion of Tehran-Ankara cooperation and consultation can be effective in solving the problems,” Rouhani noted.

He added, “Iran-Turkey cooperation is beneficial to the regional peace and stability.”
 
Rouhani said Tehran attaches great importance to consultations between Iranian and Turkish officials.

“If the major powers in the region stand beside each other, crises in Iraq and Syria will be settled without foreign powers. However, the important point is that the neighboring countries be able to play their constructive role in solving problems in the region,” the president pointed out.

Rouhani added that Iran and Turkey have common views on the important regional issues.

He also said, “Maintaining territorial integrity and national unity of Iraq and Syria, forming governments in these countries based on democracy and people’s votes, stopping the murder of people and destruction of infrastructures and also helping the displaced ones are among the actions that should be done to settle crises in the region.”

For his part, Cavusoglu said maintaining territorial integrity and national unity in Iraq and Syria will benefit Iran and Turkey as well as regional peace and stability.

It is essential to make efforts to establish ceasefire in Syria and intensify fight against the terrorist groups, he said.

He also highlighted the importance of expanding relations between Iran and Turkey.

NA/PA