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Iran may benefit from closer relations between Turkey and Israel — Kremlin envoy

The relations between Israel and Iran are quite clear - they are currently at a very strained stage, but Turkey and Iran, indeed, have been demonstrating reciprocal steps, Alexander Lavrentyev noted

MOSCOW, July 19. /TASS/. Turkey and Israel have been demonstrating reciprocal movement and Iran may benefit from it to a certain extent, Russian presidential envoy for Syrian settlement Alexander Lavrentyev said on Tuesday.

"The matter is that relations between Israel and Iran are quite clear - they are currently at a very strained stage, but Turkey and Iran, indeed, have been demonstrating reciprocal steps. And I think Iran may also benefit from it to a certain extent," he said when asked whether closer relations between Israel and Turkey could be seen as a catastrophe for Iran.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was the first Turkish official to visit Israel (on May 25) in the past 15 years. The Turkish top diplomat said the goal of his visit was a reset of bilateral relations following the 2010 crisis, when Israel captured Turkey’s Mavi Marmara ship heading to break the Gaza Strip’s blockade.

In was reported on June 10 that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israel’s new Prime Minister Yair Lapid discussed over the phone bilateral relations and regional matters. According to the Turkish president’s office, Erdogan "wished Yair Lapid all successes in his new office".