"I would like to stress that our relations with Turkey are of strategic nature. For the past five years we have been making joint diplomatic efforts with Turkey to prevent differences about the future of Syria from influencing our strategic relations with Ankara… No party made steps that brought our differences on the Syrian issue on the fore and overshadowed our strategic cooperation," Amir-Abdollahian said.
He added that "sincere and friendly dialogue" with Turkey had never stopped.
Amir-Abdollahian added that both countries had made a huge diplomatic work to iron out differences concerning the future of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
"Now Turkey as one of the most important regional actors can play a constructive role in fighting terrorism in Syria and stabilizing the internal situation in that country," he stated.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. Turkey along with the United States and its western allies have many times tried to accuse Assad of being responsible for the bloodshed and insisted on his resignation. Iran and Russia insist that Syrian people must determine their future themselves.
"[Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and his team revised the foreign policy of the country and took necessary measures. Primarily, that concerns the political future of Syria. At the same time it is necessary to be realistic. Despite Erdogan’s visit to [Russia's] St. Pretersburg and following meeting on the level of foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey we need time to see principle changes in the foreign policy of Ankara. That is a long way. But I remain optimistic. I am sure that the complex of changes in the Turkish foreign policy doctrine will contribute to peace and stability in the region," Amir-Abdollahian said.
On July 15, an attempted coup took place in Turkey and was suppressed the following day. Soon after the coup Turkish authorities made a number of steps to improve relations with Iran and Russia including Erdogan’s visit to Russia on August 9.
