Turkish Parliament speaker to hold talks with top Iranian leaders

ANKARA

Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek will pay a three-day official visit to neighboring Iran. DHA photo

Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek will pay a three-day official visit to neighboring Iran, during which he will hold several meetings with top leaders, including the country’s moderate new President Hassan Rouhani.

The first senior level contact from Turkey with Rouhani was held in early August when Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu travelled to Tehran in order to represent President Abdullah Gül at his inauguration ceremony.

Accompanied by a parliamentary delegation, Çiçek will depart for Tehran on Sept. 21 and will hold a meeting with Rouhani on Sept. 22, Anadolu Agency has reported.

Thus Çiçek will be meeting with the Iranian leader ahead of a highest-level bilateral meeting between the presidents of the two neighboring countries, which is expected to take place in New York on the sidelines of the 68th General Assembly meeting of the United Nations next week.

In addition to Rouhani, Çiçek is also expected to hold separate talks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamanei and First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri on Sept. 22, as well as meeting with Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani on Sept. 21.

After wrapping up their contacts in Tehran, Çiçek and the accompanying delegation will proceed to the city of Shiraz on Sept. 23, ahead of their return to Turkey later on the same day.