BEIRUT: Iran summoned Ankara’s ambassador on Monday over comments made by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accusing Tehran of destabilising the region.

Tehran and Ankara support opposite sides in the conflict in Syria. Iran backs the government of President Bashar al Assad while Turkey has backed elements of the Syrian opposition.

In Iraq, commanders of the predominantly Shia Popular Mobilisation Units, many of whom are trained and funded by Iran, have been highly critical of Turkey’s military presence there.

On Sunday, Cavusoglu said in a speech at a security conference in Munich that Iran wanted to turn Syria and Iraq into Shia states.

Cavusoglu also said Turkey was against any sectarianism in the Middle East and had called on Iran to stop threatening the region’s stability and security.

“We will be patient with their positions,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said on Monday in reference to the comments made in Munich. “But there is a certain cap for our patience.”

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesman Numan Kurtulmus downplayed any reports of tension.

“Iran and Turkey are friendly nations. There can be differences in views from time to time, but there can’t be animosity because of comments,” he told reporters during a news conference after a cabinet meeting.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2017