ALBAWABA - Despite the visit being confirmed by Tehran, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will not be visiting Ankara Turkish presidency told AFP, without providing a reason.
During the visit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Raisi were supposed to focus on forging a joint response to the Gaza war.
Erdogan had personally announced the Iranian president's first official visit to Turkey on his return flight from a summit between regional leaders in Riyadh on November 11 that was also attended by Raisi.
"Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is coming to us on the 28th of the month," Erdogan told reporters. Erdogan and Raisi spoke by phone on Sunday evening.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian expressed "his hope that with the continuation of high-level diplomacy between the two countries, the two (sides) can see the strengthening and deepening of mutual cooperation," the Iranian foreign ministry said after the call.
Istanbul’s Center for Iranian Studies director Hakki Uygur said that Iran expects Turkiye to end its direct and indirect trade with Israel. Analysts believe that Raisi will pressure Turkiye to cut its growing trade and energy relations with Israel.
"Turkiye, on the other hand, has taken an attitude that cares about separating political and commercial issues" Uygur added.
Iran is also anxious about a proposed trade route running along its northern border between Azerbaijan and Turkey that could potentially complicate its access to Armenia, AFP reported.
Ankara-based Iran expert Arif Keskin said: "The most important conflict between Turkey and Iran was over the Caucasus and Karabakh. With the Gaza conflict, this issue was pushed to the back burner, but it still remains there as an important issue,".
