Tasnim – Iranian President’s Chief of Staff e and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks on a range of issues, including ways to boost bilateral trade between the two neighboring countries.

In the meeting, held in Turkey on Friday evening, Vaezi conveyed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s greetings to the Turkish nation and government and said Tehran welcomes closer cooperation with Ankara in all areas.

Erdogan and Vaezi also underscored efforts to increase the volume of Iran-Turkey bilateral transactions based on the annual trade target set by the two presidents.

The latest developments in the region as well as bilateral and multilateral cooperation aimed at enhancing regional stability, security and development were among other topics discussed at the meeting.

Tehran and Ankara have ramped up efforts in recent years to boost bilateral trade, setting a $30-billion annual trade target and signing several agreements to enhance cooperation in various areas.

Turkey is one of Iran’s major trading partners in the region which has come under pressure from Washington to stop working with Tehran under a fresh wave of US anti-Iran sanctions.

Turkey has emphasized that the US demands to stop purchasing oil and gas from Iran would go unheeded by Ankara.