The Minister of Culture of Iran, Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili, who is in Türkiye to attend the Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers held in Istanbul today (February 24), met with Fahrettin Altun, the Director of Communications of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye.
During the meeting, Esmaili said, “I would like to thank our Turkish friends for their hospitality. Over the past two to three months, favourable agreements were concluded between the two countries during the meetings of the presidents of the two countries, and we also met with you during those meetings."
Esmaili went on to say, "Thank you for the initiative to hold this meeting. We are, as you have noted, engaged in a war of narratives where the Zionist enemy and its allies are attempting to deny the truth and portray lies as truth."
The Minister of Culture stated that the martyrdom of 130 innocent journalists actually reveals the hostile sentiments the Zionists harbour against the free flow of information, adding: "Inshallah, this meeting can foster synergy among the Islamic countries, especially those in the geography of resistance and create the opportunity to oppose the Zionist regime."
Esmaili further noted: "Fruitful agreements were struck during the President's visit to Türkiye, and both Mr Erdoğan and Dr Raisi are committed to expanding cooperation in all areas."
"At your earliest convenience, I invite you to pay a visit to Iran," Esmaili added.
The Minister of Culture emphasised that the issues relating to friendly relations between the two countries are a top priority for Iran, and any infringement in the domain of government-affiliated media will not be tolerated, saying, "As you are aware, the majority of media outlets in our country are inherently independent non-governmental organisations (NGOs), so it is possible that they will address certain issues on their own accounts. Respecting the relations between the two countries, however, is of the utmost importance to us. I personally advise the relevant authorities to take the necessary measures, while emphasising that if an oversight occurs, we will quickly make an effort to normalise the situation."
Esmaili concluded by stating, "The introduction of an action plan for the implementation of this memorandum will bring the media landscape between the two countries closer together, and we will take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen relations while maintaining track of the two countries' Islamic and mutual goals."