TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian will visit Turkey on Monday for the first time in his capacity as top diplomat, Turkish media reported. 

Anadolu Agency said Turkey is preparing to host the foreign ministers of nine countries during the next two weeks, in light of a possible global food crisis due to the Russian-Ukrainian war. Amir Abdollahian is among the foreign ministers who will visit Turkey. 

The visit comes amid continued contact between Iranian and Turkish officials at various levels. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said Friday that Ali Asghar Khaji, a senior advisor to the Iranian foreign minister, has attended a multilateral meeting with officials from Russia, Turkey, and the United Nations to discuss issues related to Syria.

In late May, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kayimakci met with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari on the sidelines of the conference of the deputy foreign ministers of the ECO members.

The two officials held talks over the expansion of bilateral ties and multilateral cooperation, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

In the meeting, the Iranian deputy foreign minister for economic diplomacy referred to the significant growth of trade and economic ties between Iran and Turkey in the Persian year of 1400 and underlined the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and regional cooperation more than ever before. Safari also announced the Islamic Republic of Iran’s readiness to increase cooperation with Turkey in the fields of banking, trade, transportation, transit, energy, health and new technologies as well as knowledge-based companies.

The Turkish deputy foreign minister, for his part, underlined the significance of relations between Tehran and Ankara in different spheres. Kaymakci declared Turkey’s readiness to expand ties with Iran and boost cooperation within the framework of regional and multilateral organizations such as ECO.

In the meeting, the two sides pointed to climate change and drought, underlining the necessity of cooperation among regional countries to protect the environment and to manage common water resources.

In Early May, Amir Abdollahian and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu discussed the latest developments in bilateral ties and some regional as well as international issues on the phone.

In the conversation, Cavusoglu underlined the need to take effective and tangible steps to boost good and friendly ties between the two countries, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

The Turkish foreign minister also underscored Ankara’s readiness to hold the 7th Supreme Council of Strategic Bilateral Cooperation and to make planning for the Turkish president’s visit to Tehran.
Cavusoglu referred to the good relations between the two neighboring and brotherly countries, saying that pursuant to an agreement between Iran and Turkey, he will pursue the environmental issues and the management of common water resources through relevant institutions in Turkey and continuation of the joint water committee’s sessions.

During the telephone conversation, the Iranian foreign minister also congratulated Cavusoglu on Eid al-Fitr and noted that the continuation of visits by high-ranking officials of the two countries are in line with the expansion and development of the Tehran-Ankara ties more than ever before. Amir Abdollahian then referred to plans for holding the 7th Supreme Council of Strategic Bilateral Cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkey.

The top Iranian diplomat said holding the meeting is a key step toward promoting relations, realizing the interests of both nations and also expanding bilateral ties. Amir Abdollahian firmly emphasized cooperation between Iran and Turkey in the protection of the environment and the management of border water resources. He then stressed the importance of resolving the remaining issues in this regard and also underscored the necessity of speeding up cooperation between Tehran and Ankara within the framework of the joint water committee given the importance of the issue of climate change. The foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey further stressed the need for continued consultations to pursue issues on the agenda of expanding bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern.