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Iran army chief's Turkey tour ends in promises of military cooperation

Regional rivals Turkey and Iran are exchanging visits by top officials, brought together by deeply ingrained fears that Western powers are covertly egging on their respective Kurdish populations to weaken and dismember them.
General Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran, Mohammad Bagheri (R) is welcomed by Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces Hulusi Akar during his official visit at the Turkish General Staff headquarters in Ankara, on August 15, 2017.   / AFP PHOTO / STR        (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)
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Iran’s Chief of General Staff Mohammad Bagheri wound up a three-day visit to Turkey today, a trip that showcased how the regional rivals can swiftly smooth their differences in the face of common threats.

Bagheri, whose visit was a first since Iran’s 1979 Revolution, was given the full red carpet treatment, including face time with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Bagheri and nine top-ranking Iranian generals also held talks with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar, Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli and Turkey’s national spy chief, Hakan Fidan. The sides agreed to boost military cooperation. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ebrahim Rahimpour announced earlier this week that Erdogan had “plans to visit Iran soon.”

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