Cooperation With Turkey Crucial for Regional Peace and Stability

Iranian and Turkish MPs say close cooperation between the two countries can contribute greatly to peace and security in the strategic region.

Nourmohammad Torbatinejad of Iran and Mustafa Sentop, deputy speaker of Turkey's parliament, met on the sidelines of the World Parliamentary Forum on Sustainable Development in Bali, Indonesia, IRNA reported on Friday.

The two-day forum that ended Thursday brought together parliamentarians from over 40 nations and representatives of international organizations.

Sentop said "collaboration between Tehran, Ankara and Moscow to help end the bloody conflict in Syria had helped increase regional security."

   Foreign Presence

He criticized countries whose policies and presence have undermined security, particularly in Iraq and Syria, saying that they have no plans to withdraw their forces because their interests lie in regional instability.  

"The presence of superpowers does not create problems for only one or two countries…the neighboring countries will not be left unscathed by the destructive consequences of their presence," the Turkish legislator  said.

The fact that millions of Iraqi and Syrian people have been forced to leave their country proves this point, he added, noting that the refugee crisis is detrimental to the future of the countries they come from and to the region.

Sentop said regional states should work together to improve stability while respecting the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of their neighbors.

   Idlib Offensive

Iran and Turkey are at odds over the Syrian government's decision to launch a massive offensive to recover Idlib, the last major stronghold of active opposition to embattled President Bashar al-Assad.

In a recent summit in Tehran, Iranian and Russian presidents pushed back against a call for truce in the province by their Turkish counterpart, who said he fears a massacre and Turkey could not accommodate more refugees flooding over its border.

  Common Concerns

Torbatinejad, the head of the Iranian parliamentary delegation, said attempts by separatists have always been a challenge for Iran and Turkey.

However, they failed in their ploys thanks to the wise policies adopted by both governments, he added.

He called for closer collaboration in combating terrorism, saying, "The joint work between Iran and Turkey in the fight against terrorism, especially in Syria, shows they can properly address regional issues by overcoming challenges."

On bilateral ties, Torbatinejad said Tehran and Ankara should broaden cooperation in all areas, particularly in the banking sector.