TEHRAN – General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, spoke over the phone with new Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler.

In this call, the two sides discussed military issues of mutual interest. “As two good and strategic neighbors, Iran and Turkey have common borders of peace and friendship. The existence of common borders between the two countries makes the continuation of joint cooperation even more necessary,” General Bagheri told Guler. 

In the phone call, he emphasized bilateral meetings at different levels, transfer of experience and knowledge in training centers and implementation of mutual exercises.

Guler, for his part, stressed the need for increasing and developing the level of military relations between the two countries. “Turkey witnessed the fraternal and friendly help of Iran in the tragic incident of the recent earthquake. Turkish people always praise this help and cooperation,” he said. 

General Bagheri also invited Guler to pay a visit to Iran. 

Iran and Turkey enjoy good relations. And after the recent Turkish presidential elections, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi underlined the need for strengthening relations in a phone call with Recep Tayyip Erdogan who was reelected president on May 28.

Raisi expressed hope that the economic, political, security, cultural and commercial relations between the two friendly and neighboring countries will expand even more in the new era, according to a statement by the Iranian presidency.

Raisi also pointed to the effective role of regional cooperation between Iran and Turkey in stabilizing and strengthening the stability and security of the region, and called for more acceleration of regional cooperation between the two countries with the aim of securing the interests of the countries in the region.

For his part, Erdogan expressed gratitude for Raisi's goodwill on behalf of himself and the people of his country in the telephone conversation.

“In the upcoming period, the process of expanding relations between Turkey and the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue with more strength and seriousness in various fields,” Erdogan said.

Erdogan also announced his country's desire to continue regional cooperation, including in the framework of the four-way cooperation between Turkey, Iran, Russia and Syria.

The call came after Raisi sent a congratulatory message to Erdogan. In the message, Raisi considered the re-election of Erdogan a sign of the continued valuable trust of the Turkish people in him.