Tehran- IRAF- Abbas Iraqchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, emphasized the strength and constructive nature of Iran-Turkey relations in a conversation with the Turkish CNN network on Saturday, January 31. He stated that the two countries continuously exchange views, and there is currently no serious ground for negotiation.
Iran’s condition for productive negotiations: removing the threat atmosphere
Iraqchi pointed out that for real and productive negotiations, the atmosphere of threat and pressure must first be eliminated, and without an agreement on the framework, content, and rules, no progress will be made.
He warned: “If an attack occurs, our response will be hard and very powerful. We have the capacity to defend ourselves and do not need anyone.” The Iranian Foreign Minister stated that his country’s priority is diplomacy and expressed hope that reason and dialogue will prevail.
Readiness for fair diplomacy and criticism of US approach
In another part of his statements, the Iranian Foreign Minister said that the US often tries to contact Iran through third countries. Iran is ready for fair and balanced diplomacy, but negotiations cannot be imposed, and no fair agreement can be formed without mutual respect and equal conditions.
Iraqchi also pointed to the role of the Revolutionary Guard in fighting ISIS and other terrorist groups and described Europe’s stance as not only reducing tension but also escalating it.
One-day visit to Istanbul and meeting with Turkish officials
These statements were made while Abbas Iraqchi visited Istanbul on Friday, where he was welcomed by Turkish officials, including the regional director of the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Reports indicate that he had a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during his one-day visit.
Based on previous reports, the topics of discussion for the Iranian Foreign Minister in Turkey included recent regional developments and tensions in relations with the US. This meeting was part of the ongoing consultations between the two countries to coordinate their positions on important regional issues.
