Erdogan insists Iran visit still on

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists he is still planning to visit Iran next week, despite a war of words with the Islamic republic triggered by the Yemen crisis and his accusations Tehran is seeking domination of the region.

Majority Sunni Muslim Turkey said it supports the Saudi-led operation against Iran-allied Houthi Shiite rebels in Yemen to restore order in the country.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (photo credit: AFP)
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (photo credit: AFP)

Meanwhile Iran announces it “invited” the Turkish envoy to the foreign ministry for an explanation after Erdogan said last week that Tehran’s bid for domination of the region could no longer be tolerated.

“We are keeping the program of our visit (to Iran) but we are watching developments in Yemen,” Erdogan tells reporters at Istanbul airport before heading on a visit to Slovenia, Slovakia and Romania.

“The developments in Yemen are for us very, very important,” he says.

In another jab at Iran after arriving in Slovenia, Erdogan says all those outside Yemen “involved in this attack against its territorial integrity” should leave now.

— AFP

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