Meeting the head of the Turkey-Iran Parliamentary Friendship Group and a delegation of Turkish lawmakers, Hassanzadeh said economic, social and cultural cooperation among countries should be strengthened to prevent disputes from escalating into wars, adding that economic diplomacy should be placed at the service of peace initiatives. Despite years of sanctions, Hassanzadeh said Iran had developed significant capabilities in petrochemicals, oil refining, modern agriculture, medicine, pharmaceuticals, artificial intelligence and the digital economy, creating opportunities for joint investment with Turkey. Hassanzadeh also welcomed the Turkish parliamentary delegation’s stated readiness to participate in Iran’s reconstruction efforts following the recent US-Israeli-imposed war on Iran, describing the proposal as reflecting the goodwill and cultural affinity of the Turkish people toward Iran. Iran’s ambassador to Turkey, Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh, told the meeting that Turkey was one of Iran’s two most important neighboring countries, describing bilateral relations as broad and multifaceted across political, economic, social and cultural fields. He said Turkey was currently Iran’s third-largest trading partner and could rise to second place this year. Habibollahzadeh added that Iran and Turkey share three border crossings and that a fourth crossing could become operational this year with the cooperation of Turkish authorities. The ambassador also highlighted the two countries’ transit links, saying more than 250,000 trucks cross the Iran-Turkey border annually, and said both governments were committed to expanding bilateral cooperation, supported by political will and guidance from the two countries’ presidents.