Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi makes his first official visit to Turkiye today, hoping to paper over past differences and forge a forceful joint response to Israel’s actions in Gaza, AFP reports.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as one of the Muslim world’s most vocal critics of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza.

He has branded Israel a “terrorist state” and called Hamas “a liberation group”. Erdogan has also suggested trying Israeli politicians and military commanders in the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

Analysts believe that Raisi will pressure Turkiye to move past the rhetoric and cut its blossoming trade and energy relations with Israel.

“Iran expects Turkiye to end its direct and indirect trade with Israel,” Istanbul’s Centre for Iranian Studies director Hakki Uygur told AFP. “Turkiye, on the other hand, has taken an attitude that cares about separating political and commercial issues.”