Turkey welcomes Iran nuclear deal, hopes for ‘constructive contribution’ on regional conflict

ISTANBUL/ANKARA

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Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has welcomed the lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran over its disputed nuclear program, suggesting that the development will also serve as a “significant impetus” for bilateral relations between Ankara and Tehran.

Speaking to reporters in Istanbul ahead of his departure for a visit to the United Kingdom late on Jan. 17, Davutoğlu voiced hopes that the development would pave the way for “a perspective for joint efforts aimed at ending destruction and violence” in the region.

“We believe that constricting embargoes in our region negatively influence regional development and do not produce results. In this context, we welcome both developments in the conduct of nuclear agreement step by step and the lifting of embargoes. We believe that Turkish-Iranian relations will gain a significant impetus with the lifting of these embargoes,” Davutoğlu said.

“Meanwhile, the matter to which the world, Turkey, Iran and neighboring countries should attach importance is the conduct of joint efforts to the destruction and violence in our region with constructive contributions to be made by all countries in the Middle East region. We hope that this development will pave the way for such a perspective,” he added.

In a previous statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry also underlined the need for “a responsible conduct that does not promote dissociation” in order to help “re-establish security and stability in the region.”

“Turkey warmly welcomes the announcement made on Jan. 16, 2016, on the accomplishment of the ‘Implementation Day’ of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) regarding the Iranian nuclear program. Turkey has always considered diplomacy and negotiations as the only option in the resolution of the Iranian nuclear dossier,” the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement released Jan. 17.

“We expect the uninterrupted and full implementation of the JCPOA in full transparency under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA]. In this context, we would like to strongly emphasize the need for all parties concerned to demonstrate conduct that is responsible and does not promote dissociation in the period ahead of us, to help re-establish security and stability in the region,” the ministry said.

The IAEA confirmed late on Jan. 16 that Tehran had complied with its obligations under last summer’s accord, leading the United States and the European Union to lift sanctions imposed over Iran’s disputed nuclear program that crippled its economy for a decade.

Davutoğlo voiced hope that the latest progress would have “positive contributions on the political talks process” which is expected to begin in the Syrian conflict in the near future. 

“Otherwise, none of us would approve of the emergence of new tensions upon this [development],” he said.