Turkish businessmen want separate passports for Israel and Iran

ISTANBUL

Turkish businessmen ask FM Davutoğlu (4rd R) the right to own two passports, for Israel and for Iran, in order to prevent a disruption to business. AA photo

Turkish businessmen have reportedly demanded from Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu the right to own two passports simultaneously in order to overcome the obstacles caused by political problems between Israel and Iran. 

Businessmen who attended a “Family meeting” organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) on March 9, complained that the two countries’ visa procedures were preventing their movement, slowing down their work and negatively impacting their business.

“Some businessmen already have two passports: one for Israel and the other for Iran. But the problem is that we cannot keep them both. Sometimes, in case of an urgent visit, retrieving the necessary passport from the police office before travelling can cause a disruption to business,” the businessmen told Davutoğlu, according to reports. “I will discuss this with the Interior Ministry. An effort can be made regarding this matter,” Davutoğlu reportedly said in response to the businessmen.

Israel refuses to issue entry visas to passengers who already have Iranian or other hostile countries’ visas in their passports. In the same way, Iran does not allow passengers traveling on passports that contain Israeli visas in them to enter the country. This causes a problem for Turkish businessmen who trade and invest in the region.