Istanbul, April 24, IRNA � Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan met with his Turkish, Lebanese and Pakistani counterparts in Istanbul on Thursday.

The Iranian minister is in Istanbul to attend the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli war in Turkey.

The sides in the meetings discussed bilateral, regional and international issues.

Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz told Dehqan in the meeting that Iran and Turkey as two influential and important countries in the region, are ready to upgrade cooperation in defense industries.

The Iranian minister also welcomed the offer.

Talking to IRNA prior to the meeting, Dehqan said he attended the Turkish meeting on behalf of President Hassan Rouhani, who had to take part in the Asia-Africa Summit in Jakarta instead. He said the Iranian president had been invited to participate in the Gallipoli meeting on an invitation by the Turkish counterpart.

The Minister said he had on the sidelines of the meeting, met and conferred with his counterparts on regional developments and terrorist and Takfiri groups' criminal moves as well as Zionist regime's anti-security movements.


By IRNA