Türkiye calls in Iranian charge d'affaires in tit-for-tat move after Tehran summons Turkish envoy

On March 4, Türkiye summoned Iran's Charge d'Affaires in Ankara for talks in response to Tehran's decision to call in Turkish Ambassador Hicabi Kırlangıç after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned Tehran about actions that threaten Syria's stability.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said that the reason to call in the Iranian Charge d'Affaires stands behind Tehran publicly criticising Türkiye's policy, telling him that foreign policy issues should not be used for domestic political purposes, according to the Turkish news service Sözcü.

"As for the criticism that has been voiced recently in Iranian society, we prefer to address these issues directly with their intended recipients," said Keçeli.

The spokesperson also stated that relations with Iran have always been of great importance and that strengthening ties between the two countries is a priority for Türkiye.

To recall, earlier on March 4, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish Ambassador to Iran, Hicabi Kırlangıç, after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in an interview to the Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera last week, said that Iran's foreign policy, relying on militant groups, is dangerous and that this approach needs to change.

"If you want to create discomfort by supporting a group in another country, then another country will want to create discomfort for you by supporting other forces in your country," Fidan added.

By Khagan Isayev