“The common interests of Tehran and Ankara and the sensitivity of the regional situation necessitate avoiding improper remarks and unrealistic analyses that could lead to disagreements and tensions in bilateral relations,” Mahmoud Heidari, assistant to Iran’s foreign minister, said during a meeting with Turkish Ambassador to Iran Hicabi Kirlangic.
On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described Iran’s policy of proxy forces in the region as “high-risk” and said that Tehran has had to make great sacrifices to preserve its regional influence, in an interview with Al Jazeera.
“Iran's approach of conducting foreign policy through militias in regional countries has been a high-risk policy for a long time. While Iran has made some progress, the cost of maintaining those gains is higher. Iran has had to make far greater sacrifices to maintain its gains in Iraq and Syria,” Fidan said, calling for structural changes in Tehran to calm regional tensions.
In response, the Turkish ambassador stressed that Ankara and Tehran “must cooperate closely to promote bilateral relations, regional interactions, and eliminate existing threats,” while also saying he would deliver Iran’s message to Turkey.
Since the inception of the Islamic republic, Tehran has formed a network of influence in the Middle East in a pragmatic way and not based solely on religious ideology.
The Quds Force, the foreign arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is the center of coordination with the groups, that form the so-called “Axis of Resistance” to expand Iran’s hegemony in the region and counter Western influence.
They are most prevalent in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen, and previously in Syria, where Tehran predominantly backs Shiite groups, with Hezbollah being the heart of the network.
Iran has also not shied away from forging ties with Sunni groups and political parties in the region, including in Palestine and Afghanistan, to deter itself against its enemies.
.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
