Iranian FM Zarif visits Turkey

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu (R) and Zarif had their first meeting in New York in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The Iranian diplomat is set to meet up with Davutoğlu to discuss bilateral ties.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif will pay a visit to Ankara today, which coincides with a visit from Victoria Nuland, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs in the U.S. to Turkey.

Along with bilateral relations and major international developments, particularly the latest situation in Syria will be hot in meeting’s topics with Iranian minister.

Zarif will deliver a speech at the Pugwash Conference in Istanbul today and then travel to Ankara for bilateral meetings.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Zarif had their first meeting in New York in September on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly to discuss the Syrian crisis and bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, Nuland will travel to Istanbul and Adana from Oct. 31-Nov. 3. She will meet with Turkish officials to discuss bilateral relations and other regional issues, business leaders and civil society groups.

In his recent statement, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone welcomed Zarif’s visit to Turkey and said, “I think that it is a positive thing that shows Turkish communications with its neighbor.

“Turkey clearly stands to benefit if Iran relinquishes any form of nuclear weapons program and to the extent that Turkey can use its influence to persuade the Iranians that the time has come to meet the terms of its commitments under the Nuclear non-Proliferation regime, and to demonstrate that clearly would be largely helpful,” the ambassador said.