Turkey condemns Iran's 'aggressive language'

Turkey's Communications Director said that Iranian authorities were attempting to "distort the meaning of a poem" that President Erdogan read at a victory parade in Azerbaijan's Baku.

Turkey's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun reacted to the statements of some Iranian politicians regarding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
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Turkey's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun reacted to the statements of some Iranian politicians regarding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey has rebuked Tehran for "offensive language" aimed at President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in connection with a controversial poem that might suggest Iran's northwestern provinces belong to Azerbaijan.

On Thursday, Erdogan paid a visit to staunch ally Azerbaijan for a military parade marking Baku's victory over Armenia after six weeks of fighting over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

During his visit, Erdogan recited a poem that Tehran said could fan separatism among Iran's Azerbaijani minority.

Turkey's communications director Fahrettin Altun said, in a statement, that the poem passionately reflects the emotional experience of an aggrieved people due to Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani lands. It does not include any references to Iran. 

"Nor is that country implied in any way, shape or form. The President included said poem in his speech to share Azerbaijan’s passion following its historic victory that ended the occupation of Karabakh after a glorious battle."

The next day, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter that "President Erdogan was not informed that what he ill-recited in Baku refers to the forcible separation of areas north of Aras from Iranian motherland."

Iranian authorities summoned Turkey's ambassador to Tehran to complain about Erdogan's remarks.

In return, Turkey summoned Iran's ambassador to Ankara over the "baseless" claims. 

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called the statements unacceptable in a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, said diplomatic sources to Anadolu Agency, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

While channels were open to convey views on the issue to Turkey, the baseless and heavy statements of Iran that targeted the Turkish president were "unacceptable", Cavusoglu said, according to the sources.

READ MORE: Turkey summons Iran envoy over Tehran's claims about president

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Meaning taken out of context “deliberately”

"We condemn the use of offensive language towards our president and our country over the recitation of a poem, whose meaning has been deliberately taken out of context," the statement by Altun said.

The statement also added that Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi, the Iranian minister of information and communications technology, "escalated the anti-Turkey campaign in Iran, which is rooted in baseless claims, by sharing a map of Iran during the Safavid empire, a long-gone state, is clearly detrimental to ongoing efforts to promote regional peace and our fraternity. We cannot possibly tolerate such claims over the sovereign territory of Turkey or any other country".

"It must not be forgotten that Turkey stood in solidarity with the Iranian state and people, despite the risk of having to endure international pressures, at difficult times for Iran," it continued. 

"We find it hard to understand why anyone would distort the meaning of a poem to fuel senseless tensions, instead of joining one’s neighbor in celebrating their victory," Altun said. 

Iran is home to a large Azerbaijani community, mainly in northwestern provinces next to Azerbaijan and Armenia, where the Aras river defines the border.

READ MORE: Has Iran sent arms to Libyan warlord Haftar, violating UN sanctions?

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