Hezbollah militant. Weapons from Turkey?
Photo: AP
Turkey denies involvement in Hezbollah arms transfers
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera says Tehran, Ankara signed agreement to transfer weapons to Hezbollah prompting Turkish Foreign Ministry to deny allegations
The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday which denies an Italian newspaper report suggesting Ankara and Tehran provide Hezbollah with
arms.
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported on Wednesday that Turkish intelligence personnel and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have recently signed an agreement according to which both counties will assist Hezbollah by transferring weapons from Iran to Turkey and from there to Syria and Lebanon.
An official with the Turkish Foreign Ministry told Turkish newspaper Hurriyet that the allegations were groundless and should not be taken seriously.
The Italian report stated that Turkish Intelligence Chief Hakan Fidan held a meeting with an Iranian official and that the two agreed that Turkey would "transfer sophisticated weapons, missiles and guns to Syria, which will eventually be transferred to Lebanon." Iran, on its part, promised that the arms be turned over to Hezbollah.
Turkish-Iranian relations are constantly tightening. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently visited Tehran and last May the two countries signed a uranium fuel swap along with Brazil .
Turkey is considered an Iranian ally and holds extensive trade relations with Tehran. It is therefore a convenient partner for the Islamic Republic in avoiding Western sanctions.
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