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Iran and Turkey leaders discuss recent Israeli activity

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spoke on Wednesday to discuss “recent Israeli activities in the region,” and Israel’s normalization of relations with a number of Arab states last year, the Times of Israel said. According to Iranian media, Rouhani and Erdogan talked about regional and economic cooperation between their countries.

The Times of Israel notes that the conversation between the Iranian and Turkish leaders came shortly after the high-profile and devastating attack on Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran blames on Israel.

Although Israel has not officially confirmed it was behind the attack on Iran’s Natanz nuclear plant, officials have hinted at Israeli involvement: Israel considers Iran to be an existential threat and has repeatedly said it will not allow the Iranian regime to produce a nuclear bomb. The attack on the Natanz facility reportedly set back Iran’s nuclear aspirations by at least nine months.

Vowing severe retaliation for Israel’s “nuclear terrorism,” Iran has said it will begin uranium enrichment to 60%. This percentage far exceeds that allowed to the Iranian regime under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Iran deal. While Iran has recently been involved in talks with the US and other major powers about rejoining the JCPOA, and talks were set to resume on Thursday, the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini said Wednesday the talks were not worth it after the Natanz attack.

For their part, Turkey and Israel have had an uneven relationship, and are especially divided over Israel’s stance on the Palestinians in the West Bank. However, both countries had recently expressed an interest in improving their relations.