WANA (Mar 04) – A senior Iranian diplomat has urged caution against statements that could harm Iran-Turkey relations, emphasizing the need for a realistic approach to regional challenges. Mahmoud Heidari, Assistant to the Iranian Foreign Minister and Director-General for the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe, met with Turkey’s Ambassador to Tehran, Hicabi Kırlangıç.

 

Referring to recent remarks by the Turkish Foreign Minister, Heidari stressed that the shared interests of both countries and the region’s sensitive conditions require avoiding “misguided statements and unrealistic analyses” that could lead to tensions.

 

Israel’s Aggression: A Major Threat to Regional Security

Heidari also condemned Israel’s continued military aggression and expansionist policies, calling them the greatest threat to regional stability and security. He urged major Islamic countries to focus their efforts on stopping Israeli crimes and aggression against the Palestinian people and other nations in the region, including Syria.

 

Turkey Reaffirms Commitment to Strong Ties with Iran

In response, Ambassador Kırlangıç reiterated Turkey’s commitment to maintaining and expanding good relations with Iran. He emphasized that as two key regional powers, Turkey and Iran must work together to strengthen bilateral ties, enhance regional cooperation, and address security threats. He also stated that he would relay Iran’s concerns to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

 

Turkey’s Foreign Minister’s Allegations

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Arabic on Friday, March 1, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made remarks about regional developments, including claims regarding Iran’s policies. His statements prompted a response from the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

 

Addressing allegations of Iran’s support for Syrian Kurds, Fidan stated: “If this is Iran’s policy in Syria, I do not believe it is the right approach. If you seek to create unrest in another country by supporting a group within it, other nations could also retaliate by supporting certain groups against you. The resources and capabilities that Iran possesses are also available to others. If you do not want your glass house to be shattered by stones, do not throw stones at others’ homes.”

 

In another part of his remarks regarding Iran, Fidan criticized Tehran’s regional policies, claiming that Iran has paid a higher price than its actual gains to maintain its influence in Iraq and Syria. He further suggested that recent developments have taught Iran significant lessons.

 

Iranian FM Spokesperson Criticizes Western Influence

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baqaei, in a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Friday night, warned that ignoring the overt and covert roles of the U.S. and Israel in regional developments would be a serious mistake.

 

He noted that while the Turkish Foreign Minister had called for an end to dominance by any single nation over others—whether Arab, Turkish, Kurdish, or Iranian—he questioned why Israel was excluded from this statement.

 

Baqaei accused Israel of intensifying its military attacks in Syria, particularly in the aftermath of Damascus falling into the hands of Turkish-backed forces. He claimed that Israel had launched extensive strikes against Syria’s military and defense infrastructure, as well as its scientific and research centers, destroying over 90% of them. Furthermore, he stated that Israel had once again seized full control of the Golan Heights and, through its expansionist policies, occupied significant parts of Syrian territory.

 

Iran Denounces Israeli Expansionism

The spokesperson further claimed that Israel now controls Syria’s key water resources and continuously violates the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. He argued that these developments were the direct consequence of flawed policies that have harmed Syria, Palestine, and the wider region.

 

Baqaei emphasized that for the past five decades, Iran has not pursued regional ambitions but has instead focused on supporting the Palestinian cause and countering Israeli occupation and expansionism. He asserted that today, the Palestinian issue is more alive than ever, while Israel is more isolated than before.

 

He also accused certain regional actors of weakening the Palestinian cause by turning against their own allies, stating that if it weren’t for such betrayals, “no one would dare talk about the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza or the annexation of the West Bank.”

 

Iran’s Role in Regional Stability

Baqaei reaffirmed Iran’s consistent policies, highlighting its support for regional resistance while simultaneously opposing terrorism and unlawful actions. He recalled that Iran—under the leadership of General Qasem Soleimani—was the first nation to take decisive action against ISIS and violent extremism in the region.

 

He further underscored Iran’s unwavering commitment to regional stability, mentioning Tehran’s opposition to the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey and its support for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) laying down arms. He stressed that Iran remains firm in its principled positions and does not shift its stance based on political expediency.