President Hassan Rouhani met separately with a number of world leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday to discuss bilateral ties and global issues.
In his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he stressed that nothing can impede the development of the two states’ relations and no effort will be spared to expand cooperation that serves the interests of both nations, the president's website reported.
“Iran welcomes Turkish investors’ collaboration to help advance its [development] projects,” he said.
Erdogan expressed deep sympathy over the loss of 24 Iranians in a recent terrorist attack on a military parade in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province, which was claimed by an ethnic Arab dissident group.
“We no longer face the phenomenon of terrorism, but we are confronted with terrorist ruling bodies,” he said.
Rouhani appreciated the Turkish president's condolences and said, "We have always been side by side on tough days and such incidents give a cue that we need to act more seriously against terrorism.”
He stressed the importance of Iran-Turkey-Russia alliance aiming to tackle the issues in Syria.
"We are fully prepared to help resolve the Syrian crisis especially in Idlib within the framework of the trilateral partnership," he said.
The Turkish leader called for closer interaction between Tehran and Ankara, adding that his country will stand by Iran "hand-in-hand" to counter the US-imposed sanctions.
Iran and Russia assist the Syrian armed forces in the fight against militant groups and Turkey backs some rebel groups in the Arab country. The trio is engaged in a diplomatic push to put an end to the lingering Syrian crisis. Their recent talks have helped avert the escalation of violence in Idlib Governorate in northwestern Syria—a hotbed of militancy.
Kabul Ties
Rouhani underlined collective regional efforts to eliminate terrorism in his meeting with Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.
“Security is interconnected in the countries of the region and the presence of aliens is to the detriment of us all,” he said.
Combating the trade of illicit drugs is a key area that, according to Rouhani, requires close collaboration between the two countries since “it is a threat to all the people of the world and jeopardizes the future of nations”.
“A large portion of finances for terrorism is supplied through drug smuggling,” he said.
He criticized western states’ double standards with regard to terrorism, as they highlight the fight against the phenomenon when their countries come under assault and support the practice when the Middle East is affected.
Rouhani also stated that Iran seeks a “better, more developed and more secure future” for Afghanistan.
“Expansion of Tehran-Kabul ties will benefit both nations,” he emphasized.
Abdullah acknowledged Iran's lasting support for Afghanistan in difficult times, saying it has “never allowed its relations to be affected by a third party”.
On Monday, Rouhani also held talks with the presidents of Bolivia and Cuba, Evo Morales and Miguel Diaz-Canel, respectively and confirmed Iran's willingness to strengthen relations with the Latin American states.
