TEHRAN – Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili, is in Istanbul, Turkey, to attend the 12th Conference of Information Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The role of media in confronting terrorism and Islamophobia is the main topic discussed at the two-day meeting, which opened on Friday.

Esmaeili held meetings with Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum president Taha Ayhan, Turkish president’s spokesperson Fahrettin Altun and several other officials during his visit to the country.

In his meeting with Ayhan, Esmaeili said that the central Iranian city of Isfahan is ready to be nominated for becoming an OIC Youth Capital.

The OIC Youth Capital was initiated by the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), an international institution affiliated with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), at its 2nd General Assembly held in October 2014 and approved by the 42nd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers held on 27-28 May 2015 in Kuwait.

The OIC region consists of more than 1.6 billion Muslims and 1/3 of it is constituted by youth. The main reason for the OIC Youth Capital International Program is to provide a yearlong stage to foster cooperation among the member states in the field of youth policy as well as enhance Muslim youth solidarity, fostering intercultural diversity and the spirit of unity among youth from the OIC geography through different kinds of activities.

Kazan, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia, is the 2022 OIC Youth Capital

Esmaeili also met Altun and said that the Iranian government is seeking to expand relations with the neighboring countries, in particular, with Turkey.

“Turkey and Iran have common enemies, which struggle to divide the Islamic world and prevent them from improving their relationship,” he noted.

On his part, Altun said that security in the region is in grave peril in the wake of interference by foreign forces and added that cooperation between Turkey and Iran may help counter the threat.

He also expressed his hope that an agreement for press and media cooperation between Iran and Turkey would be signed in the upcoming meeting of Iranian and Turkish presidents.    

Photo: Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili, meets Turkish president’s spokesperson Fahrettin Altun in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 22, 2022. 

MMS/YAW