Turkish President Abdullah Gul arrived in Iran’s capital Tehran on Sunday for a four-day formal visit at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
President Gul is accompanied by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, State Minister Cevdet Yilmaz, lawmakers, businessmen, academicians and governors of Turkish provinces bordering Iran.
President Gul is the first Turkish president visiting Iran in nine years.
Turkey-Iran bilateral relations as well as recent regional and global developments will be high on agenda of President Gul’s talks with Iranian authorities.
President Gul says his visit will further improve relations with Iran
Turkish President Abdullah Gul said that his visit would further improve relations with Iran and contribute to efforts to ensure peace, tranquility and stability in the region amid recent critical developments.
President Gul told reporters before his departure for Iran as the guest of his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, that he would visit Iran for the first time after being sworn in as president of Turkey.
"I will attend Turkey-Iran Business Council meeting in Tehran along with President Ahmadinejad. I will also visit Iranian cities of Tabriz and Isfahan. Political, economic and commercial relations between Turkey and Iran will be high on agenda of our talks. We will also have the chance to review recent regional and global developments," he said.
"We support Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency to remove concerns of the international community about its nuclear program," President Gul added.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, State Minister Cevdet Yilmaz, who is also co-president of Turkey-Iran Joint Economic Commission, MPs, businessmen and journalists are accompanying the President during his four-day visit.