Turkish Envoy Hails Iran’s Support Amid Coup
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Turkey’s ambassador to Tehran praised Iran for its supportive stance towards the Ankara government in the early hours of an attempted coup that rocked Turkey last week.
The Iranian officials’ formal display of support for Turkey’s democratically-elected government in the early hours of the coup attempt was appreciable for Ankara, Reza Hakan Tekin said at a press conference in Tehran on Sunday.
He said the depth of relations between Iran and Turkey became obvious after the futile coup.
Since the outset of a coup attempt by a group of military forces in Turkey in the early hours of July 16, Iran voiced its backing for the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and dismissed any military approach to settle the conflicts.
The failed coup was led by Col. Muharrem Kose, a former Turkish military officer who was dishonorably discharged in March 2016 for his alleged association with anti-government and US-based dissident Fethullah Gulen.
Gulen’s movement known as Hizmet, once claimed as many as 2,000 officers within the Turkish military prior to crackdowns by Turkish President Erdogan.
Elsewhere in the press conference, the Turkish ambassador said Turkey is reorganizing the armed forces in the wake of the coup attempt, saying the government is now in control of the situation and is identifying the Gulen movement’s elements.
