Controversial Iranian ambassador returns to Turkey as FM
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Kasım 30, 2005 11:21
Iran's new Foreign Minister, Manocher Mottaki, visits Ankara today for an official working meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. Mottaki, who was the Iranian Ambassador to Turkey in the late 1980s, is also expected to be accepted by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan following his meetings with Gul.
It is expected that newly elected Iranian President Ahmedinecad's recent comments that "Israel should be wiped from the world map" will be brought up in context with discomfort felt by the Ankara administration with this stance.
"Persona non grata" declaration sought by Turkish Foreign Ministry
An important factor in the tension between Iran and Turkey since the late 1980s was the role Mottaki played in a meeting held by former Refah Party leader Erbakan in Konya in 1988. Mottaki at that time expressed outspoken support for women in headscarves protesting against the Turkish ban on headscarves in universities. He was warned repearedly by Foreign Ministery officials to remove himself from playing a role in Turkey's domestic affairs. The Turkish Foreign Ministry also pushed at this time to have Mottaki declared "persona non grata." Shortly after this, Tehran called Mottaki back to Iran, replacing him at his post with a different representative.
"Persona non grata" declaration sought by Turkish Foreign Ministry
An important factor in the tension between Iran and Turkey since the late 1980s was the role Mottaki played in a meeting held by former Refah Party leader Erbakan in Konya in 1988. Mottaki at that time expressed outspoken support for women in headscarves protesting against the Turkish ban on headscarves in universities. He was warned repearedly by Foreign Ministery officials to remove himself from playing a role in Turkey's domestic affairs. The Turkish Foreign Ministry also pushed at this time to have Mottaki declared "persona non grata." Shortly after this, Tehran called Mottaki back to Iran, replacing him at his post with a different representative.