Iran refuses Turkish premier's statements

Iran has refused statements made by Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit concerning a claimed presence of members of the Kurdistani Workers Party (PKK) in the Iranian territories, stressing that these statements are groundless.

In a statement he made on Monday in Tehran, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Hamid Rida Asefi, said the two countries for several years had set up joint security committees in order to study reports and the two countries' complaints, asserting that reports submitted by the Turkish side were never true."

The Iranian spokesman added that the question of the PKK is an internal matter, asserting that attributing Turkish internal matters to Iran damages the principles of good neighborhood and bilateral relations.

Asifi expressed Iran's readiness to hold talks with the Turkish officials. He expressed hope that such talks will eliminate misunderstanding between the two countries.