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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani discussed steps to improve relations between Turkey and Iran in a phone call on Thursday.
The two leaders also discussed regional issues, according to Turkey’s Communications Directorate.
During the call, Erdogan expressed his regret and condolences for the assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, and pointed to the timing of the assassination, the leadership said in a statement.
Erdogan said the assassination was aimed at regional peace and stability. The hopes of those who want to drag the region into instability will fail, he added.
Fakhrizadeh, who led research and innovation at Iran’s Defense Ministry, was assassinated outside the capital Tehran on November 27.
Top Iranian leaders, including President Rouhani, have accused Israel of orchestrating the attack, promising retaliation and sparking fears of spiraling tensions.
Erdoğa also said that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has entered a new phase, where actions that may damage the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan should be avoided.
