Iran to continue cooperating with Turkey: FM spokesman

ANKARA

Cooperation between Turkey and Iran will continue in the upcoming period as it has in the past, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Monday.

“Cooperation between our two countries has been very positive,” ministry spokesman Bahram Qasimi said at a news conference in Tehran.

“This is set to continue in the upcoming period,” he added.

Regarding recently-imposed U.S. import tariffs on certain Turkish goods, Qasimi said: “I’m confident that the Turkish people will overcome the problems they face.”

As for an upcoming trilateral summit between Turkey, Russia and Iran, the spokesman confirmed that the event -- at which participants will discuss the future of Syria -- would be held early next month in Tehran.

On Aug. 7, the U.S. re-imposed a first round of economic sanctions on Iran, which mainly target the country’s banking sector.

The sanctions are intended to hinder Tehran's acquisition of U.S. currency; its precious metals trade; bank transactions denominated in Iranian currency; activities related to Iran's sovereign debt; and the country’s automotive sector.

Earlier this month, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said that trade between Turkey and Iran would continue as part of a long-term bilateral contract that will remain in effect until 2026.