Iran and Turkey strengthen cooperation

Iranian President Hassan Rohani and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a talks by phone on June 8, discussing issues of mutual concern and announced that they would expand neighbouring relations in various fields, Reuters reported.

During the telephone call, President Rouhani said Iran and Turkey were "powerful and influential" nations in the Muslim world. Therefore, the expansion of relations between the two parties will play an important role in promoting regional stability and security as well as in the Muslim world as a whole. Rouhani stressed that Tehran was determined to strengthen economic cooperation with Ankara and use the two countries' national currencies in trade transactions between both sides.

Meanwhile, Erdogan said that the expansion of bilateral relations will serve the interests of the two countries and the whole region. He also stated that the two countries can strengthen cooperation and increase stability, security in the fight against terrorism throughout the region.

* On June 8, Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi said that Baghdad would support any attempt to stabilise the Middle East amid growing tension between Iran and the US. The statement by PM Mahdi was made at his meeting with visiting German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

The office of the Iraqi PM informed that at the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and the situation in the Middle East. The Iraqi PM stressed: "We support any effort serving the stability of the region and the world, and we are working with EU countries in this regard."

* Speaking in Baghdad, German FM Maas expressed his deep concerns over the escalating tension in the Middle East. Maas said he would visit Iran in the coming days to assert to Iran the importance of maintaining a nuclear deal. He stated that he wanted to assure Iranian officials of Germany and Europe's commitment to the nuclear deal, and Europe is drafting a plan to ease sanctions and financial transactions with Iran.

* Earlier, on June 7, the German FM arrived in Jordan, his first stop on a Middle East tour, and visited Al-Azraq Air Base, where German troops concentrated their actions against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS). After Iraq, Maas will then tour the UAE and Iran.

Source: Nhan Dan