UPDATE 4 - Turkish, Iranian foreign ministers meet in Istanbul

UPDATES WITH IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER'S TWEET

By Merve Aydogan, Jeyhun Aliyev and Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif in Istanbul on Friday, Cavusoglu confirmed on Twitter.

Their meeting at Dolmabahce Office was also attended by Hakan Fidan, the head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization, said Turkish diplomatic sources.

At the meeting, Cavusoglu and Zarif reiterated their “strong cooperation in fight against all sorts of terrorism, especially PKK/YPG; commitment to Syria’s territorial integrity. Evaluated steps to develop our economic cooperation,” tweeted Turkey’s top diplomat.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian branch, and the terror group also has an Iranian wing.

Cavusoglu added in his tweet, "Happy Nowruz!" referring to a traditional holiday marking the first day of spring and the renewal of nature.

In 2009, Nowruz was inscribed by UNESCO in the Representative List of the Intangible Culture Heritage of Humanity.

The Iranian foreign minister said his trip to Istanbul for talks with Cavusoglu was “productive”.

“As before, constructive engagement on bilateral and regional issues,” Zarif said on Twitter on Friday.

The aim of his official visit was to implement Iran’s and Turkey’s 400 years of peace experience in the region, he said.

“Together, anything is possible,” Zarif wrote.

Separately, Cavusoglu had a phone conversation with Bujar Osmani, the foreign minister of North Macedonia. The two officials addressed bilateral relations, according to diplomatic sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

According to sources, Cavusoglu also had a phone conversation with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, where they exchanged views on current issues including developments in Libya ahead of a NATO foreign ministers summit.