TEHRAN - Turkish ambassador to Tehran Riza Hakan Tekin has said that all the political parties in Turkey are aware of the importance of relationship with Iran and seek to expand it.

The comments by the ambassador comes as Turkish presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held on June 24. Turkish citizens who reside in Iran casted their votes on Sunday.

Six candidates are running in Turkey’s presidential race, while eight political parties are vying for 600 seats in parliament.

Ambassador Tekin said that the process of voting by Turkish citizens in foreign countries will end by June 19.

Reportedly, more than three million Turkish expatriates worldwide are expected to take part in the overseas vote at more than 100 polling stations.

Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has said that no country is allowed to use Incirlik air base in Turkey to carry out attacks against Iran.

“Turkey permits use of Incirlik air base for fight against terrorism and the U.S. will never be able to use it in order to attack a country,” IRNA quoted him as saying on BaBaLa TV when he asked about possible request by the U.S. to use the air base to attack Iran.

The Incirlik air base is located in the Incirlik quarter of the city of Adana. The U.S. Air Force and the Turkish Air Force are the primary users of the air base.

He noted that it is impossible that Turkey stands against its neighbors.

He added that there have been no war between Iran and Turkey since the signing of the Treaty of Qasr-e Shirin between Iran and the Ottoman Empire in 1639.

NA/PA