Iran keen to boost cultural ties with Turkey

Tehran's Envoy to Ankara Alireza Bigdeli stressed Iran's enthusiasm for enhancing cultural relations with Turkey. Bigdeli said that expansion of cultural relations between Iran and Turkey would serve to develop economic cooperation and political common grounds. He recalled statement of former Turkish Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan about cultural commonalities between Iran and Turkey, and said that his views led to expansion of bilateral ties and signing economic agreements, particularly in the field of natural resources such as gas deal, the Islamic republic news agency reported. Iran and Turkey have increased their cooperation in various fields of economy, security, trade, education, energy and culture in recent years. The two sides have exchanged several politico-economic delegations during the last few months. Turkey imports more than 90 percent of its oil and gas. Iran and Turkey are determined to boost their trade exchanges to $35 billion in the near future.