Rezaee: Iran and Turkey can cooperate for new Middle East

He said he is in Turkey to discuss this new Middle East with President Abdullah Gül and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu. Furthermore, his visit is to include a meeting with Trade and Industry Minister Nihat Ergün to improve trade relations between the two countries.

Rezaee said the Greater Middle East Project, a term coined by former US President George W. Bush and involving the democratization and modernization of the Middle East, was defeated because it aimed at conflict in a time when peace and cooperation must prevail.

“The Middle East needs a new order based on justice and fairness. I am happy to see that our Turkish friends are thinking in the same way. Cooperation between the two countries and other international organizations, such as the Economic Cooperation Organization [ECO], has to become strengthened,” Rezaee said.

He added that during his meetings in Ankara, he elaborated on international matters and that this new order in the Middle East can extend to the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Rezaee also said Ankara-Tehran relations are very good and are based on not interfering in others' internal affairs, but added that Iran is happy to see the government's democratization imitative and is ready to provide any assistance needed.

The government in July launched a democratization initiative to solve Turkey's decades-old Kurdish question. The details of the plan have yet to be made clear, but it includes an end to terrorism on Turkish soil. With respect to this, Turkey is in talks with Syria and Iran to address concerns over Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorists who are also Syrian or Iranian citizens.

“Terrorism should end. We need peace and stability in the region,” he said.

He added that the trade volume between the two countries is around $12 billon but that this amount must be increased and that there is potential to do so.

Rezaee, who stood as a candidate in the recent controversial Iranian presidential elections and is a former commander of the Revolutionary Guards, declined to comment on the elections and said that both countries respect each other's internal matters.