Iran's Raisi meets Erdogan in Turkey for talks on Gaza conflict, energy

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was set to hold talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday to discuss the widening conflict in Gaza and energy cooperation between the two neighbors. 

Raisi had twice postponed his visit, initially set for November, over scheduling issues and attacks in Iran's southeastern city of Kerman. 

"During the meetings, aside from bilateral ties, there will be an exchange of views on current regional and global matters, namely the Israeli attacks on Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories," Turkey's presidency said on Tuesday. 

It said the two leaders would also chair a Turkish-Iranian business council and that some agreements could be signed, while Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said he had discussed energy cooperation with Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji during talks in Ankara on Tuesday. 

Turkey, which supports a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has harshly criticised Israel for its attacks on Gaza, called for an immediate cease-fire, and backed legal steps for Israel to be tried for genocide. 

Despite its harsh rhetoric, Ankara has maintained commercial ties with Israel, prompting criticism at home and from Iran. 

Iran leads what it calls the Axis of Resistance, a loose coalition that includes Hamas and armed Shi'ite Muslim groups around the region that have militarily confronted Israel and its Western allies. It has voiced support for Hamas.