Pezeshkian is a Turk of Azerbaijani descent: Erdoğan speaks about Iran's newly elected president

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan anticipates a positive and intense development in relations with Iran following the presidential elections held in that country and the victory of reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian. He made this statement to reporters on his way back from Germany.

“Masoud Pezeshkian is actually a Turk of Azerbaijani descent. He speaks Turkish in Tabriz, but when he comes to Kurdish areas, he can speak Kurdish there as well. He also has a good command of Persian. I will call him and congratulate him. We hope that the relations between Turkey and Iran will improve in the future. Moreover, Iran is the country with which Turkey has the best relations in the region. Iran is also an important neighbor with whom we have historical and cultural ties. I expect that in this new era, bilateral relations between Turkey and Iran will develop at a positive and accelerating pace,” Erdoğan was quoted by Anadolu Agency.

On July 5, a second round of early presidential elections took place in Iran. The reformist wing's candidate, former health minister Masoud Pezeshkian, won with 53.6% of the votes.