An Iranian military chief attending a reception in Tehran marking Turkey’s Victory Day on Saturday praised defense ties between the two neighbors and voiced support for deeper cooperation, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, chief of staff of the Iranian army, congratulated Turkey on the national holiday, which commemorates the country’s 1922 victory over occupying forces in the War of Independence. He said Iran and Turkey, as two powerful regional states, had long contributed to stability and security and could serve as a model of good neighborly relations.
Tarihimizin en önemli dönüm noktalarından birini teşkil eden 30 Ağustos Zafer Bayramı’nın 103. yıldönümünü İranlı üst düzey askeri ve diplomatik yetkililer, Tahran’da mukim kordiplomatik mensupları ve vatandaşlarımızla birlikte coşkuyla kutladık. pic.twitter.com/5jFvB0Lb4T
— Türkiye in Iran (@TC_TahranBE) August 31, 2025
The reception at the Turkish ambassador’s residence was hosted by Ambassador Hicabi Kırlangıç and Military Attaché Col. Sabri Coşkun, drawing foreign diplomats, embassy staff, journalists and other guests.
In his remarks, Ambassador Kırlangıç described the 1922 victory as a turning point in Turkish history and said the country has made significant progress since then. He underlined the importance of developing friendly and mutually beneficial ties with neighbors, adding that relations with Iran carry “historical depth and great significance” across sectors including trade, energy, culture and tourism.
Kırlangıç said global peace and security face major challenges, many of them unfolding close to Turkey’s borders. He pointed to the war in Ukraine, what Ankara describes as Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Israeli attacks in Lebanon, Yemen and Syria, and what he called reckless aggression against Iran in June as alarming developments.
He also offered condolences to Iran for casualties in Israeli attacks in June and reiterated Turkey’s view that diplomacy and dialogue remain the only way to resolve the nuclear issue.
The event concluded with the reading of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Victory Day message. Sayyari’s remarks were seen as signaling Tehran’s openness to expanding defense industry cooperation with Ankara at a time of shifting alliances in the region.