Turkey calls for enhanced athletic co-op with Iran

Tehran, May 12, IRNA – Visiting Turkish Sports Minister in a meeting with Iran’s Vice-President and Head of Physical Education Organization called for more athletic cooperation between the two countries.

In the meeting, the Turkish Minister Faruk Nafiz Ozak said that athletic cooperation between the two countries should increase in all fields.

Considering sports role in both societies, Ozak said that sport, as a social issue, has a decisive role in the success of an Islamic society.

He added that 65 sports federations are active in Turkey now and Turkey hosts many international competitions such as world basketball championship.

Ozak also invited Ali Saeedloo to attend the games as a special guest.

The Turkish sports minister said that his country intends to host European Nations Cup for the year 2016 and added football has many fans in the world, so we are planning a comprehensive program to become the host for the 2016 Games.

On holding a friendly game between national football teams of Iran and Turkey, he said that he would negotiate with football federation officials in Istanbul about the issue./end