Turkish, Iranian authorities sign 10 cooperation agreements

Türkiye and Iran have inked 10 cooperation documents to increase investment, economic cooperation and other spheres, in the presence of the presidents of the two countries.

After the 8th meeting of the Türkiye-Iran High-Level Cooperation Council on January 24, ten agreements were signed between the two countries in the fields of culture, media and communication, rail and air transportation, electricity, energy and economic and free trade zones, according to the official website of the Iranian president.

The signed agreements are as follows:

1. Operation Agreement between Türkiye Electricity Transmission Corporation (TEIAS) and Iran Grid Management Company (IGMC)

2. Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in Free Zones

3. Memorandum of Understanding on media and communication cooperation

4. Framework agreement on railway transportation

5. Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific, Industrial, and Technological Cooperation

6. Letter of Intent on Cooperation for the Year 2025 regarding mutual culture

7. Memorandum of Understanding between the Turkish National Police Academy and Iran's Amin Police University

8. Memorandum of Understanding on the mutual recognition and exchange of national driver's licenses

9. Memorandum of Understanding on the appointment of armed flight safety officers between two countries

10. Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the energy sector

Türkiye is “determined to reach the $30 billion trade target with Iran,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi shortly after their meeting and the signing of the agreements.

Erdogan said that Ankara and Tehran should strengthen their cooperation to promote development and stability in the region, adding that “we have not terminated and will not terminate our economic and trade relations with our neighbour Iran due to sanctions”.

“When the modernization work that we started at the Gurbulak-Bazargan Border Gate is completed, the Esendere and Dilucu customs gates will be relaxed and Gurbulak will provide services with a high capacity. The issue of opening new border crossings with Iran is also on our agenda,” the Turkish president emphasized.

“According to the data of our Commerce Ministry, our contracting companies have undertaken 56 projects totalling $4.6 billion in Iran so far,” he said, adding that “while many Western companies fled Iran due to sanctions, 200 of our companies chose to stay in Iran despite all the difficulties.”

In his turn, the Iranian president listed the various sectors of energy, road and rail transportation, culture, and the fight against terrorism and organised crime, among the existing and agreed upon areas for the development and improvement of relations between Iran and Türkiye.

Raisi further stated that the serious will of the regional countries in the fight against terrorism is the only way to create stability and security in the region and added that, “Iran considers the security of Türkiye and other countries in the region as its security”.

He also referred to the ongoing Israeli-Gaza war, saying that “today, Palestine has become the first issue of the Islamic world and the world of humanity, and all free nations have been affected by the oppression of the people of Gaza”.

Mentioning the Palestinian casualties, Erdogan said that “with the support of Egypt, we have sent 17 planes and five ships full of humanitarian aid supplies to El-Arish so far.”

“Thus, we have shipped more than 30,000 tons of relief materials, including 26,000 tons of flour, to the region to be delivered to our Gaza brothers,” he said, adding that “we are hosting 380 patients and 344 injured companions in Türkiye and providing their treatment.”

“We support the steps taken in the field of international law to prevent Israel from getting away with the war crimes it has committed,” he stressed.

The number of dead as a result of bombing and shelling by Israeli forces in various areas of the Gaza Strip reached 25,700 since October 7, 2023, the enclave's Health Ministry announced on January 24. According to the ministry, 63,740 people were wounded in the sector during the Israeli attacks. In the past 24 hours alone, 210 Palestinians were killed and nearly 390 wounded in Gaza. The total number of those injured in Israeli attacks has risen to 63,354, since the beginning of the war.

Meanwhile, about 1,200 Israelis were killed since last October, and the military says 210 soldiers have died in the subsequent offensive.

Prior to Raisi’s visit to Türkiye, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari said that Tehran and Ankara are to renew their gas trade deal, and an agreement on linking the power grids of Iran and Türkiye would be made during the visit. Khoy in Iran and Van in Türkiye will serve as the link points of the power grids, according to Safari. 

Raisi arrived in Türkiye at the head of a high-ranking political and economic delegation on 24 January. The meeting had been planned for November, but was called off, and it was again postponed in early January after the twin blasts in Iran's south-eastern city of Kerman, where at least 93 people were killed and 280 injured.

Upon his departure, the Iranian president said increasing trade with Türkiye to $30 billion would be an objective of his visit. He also said he would discuss the Gaza war and the need to "cut the lifeline" of Israel in his talks with the Turkish president.

Iranian media have criticized Türkiye for supplying fuel to Israel, and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently renewed his call on Muslim countries to stop trade with Israel. Meanwhile, Türkiye criticizes Israel over its attacks in Gaza and has expressed support for Palestinian militant groups.