Raisi, Erdogan vow to open new phase in bilateral ties

Tehran, Dec 9 (IANS) Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone conversation during which they vowed to open a new phase in the relationship between the two countri.

"Soon, with the holding of a joint summit in Tehran, the development of cooperation will enter a new phase," Xinhua news agency quoted Raisi as saying to Erdogan during the call on Wednesday.

Raisi stressed the importance of the cooperation between Iran and Turkey in the counterterrorism and economic fields, and pointed that the respect of other countries' sovereignty is the key to fighting terrorism.

The Iranian President said regional problems must be solved without foreign intervention.

For his part, Erdogan also emphasized the importance of cooperation in economic and security fields, adding a new chapter of the relationship between Turkey and Iran will be opened during his future visit to Tehran.

On Wednesday afternoon, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf embarked on a trip to Istanbul to attend the 16th conference of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC), Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

"The document on comprehensive cooperation between Iran and Turkey is being finalised, and we will use the opportunity that the two-day trip provides to talk to the (Turkish) authorities in this regard for further coordination," Qalibaf told reporters before departing.