The railway linking Iran's Tehran to Turkey's Van was launched on Sunday with a train leaving the Iranian capital for the eastern Turkish city.

A diplomatic falling out between Turkey and Iran escalated on Tuesday as Ankara summoned a senior Iranian diplomat – the latest development in a war of words between officials from the neighbouring countries.

Turkey and Iran have been regional rivals for decades, with Syria as a key battleground. The ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December significantly shifted the power dynamics in the country, strengthening Ankara's position while weakening Iran's influence.

Iran and Turkey have summoned each other’s diplomats for discussions, officials said Tuesday, after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan criticized Tehran’s policy of supporting militias in Syria and elsewhere.

Tehran’s recent setbacks have paved the way for Ankara’s ascent. The Ankara-backed Azerbaijan’s triumph over Tehran-backed Armenia, Turkish-supported militias outmaneuvering Iran’s influence in Syria,

FILE - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, on Feb. 24, 2025. Fidan's recent criticism of Iranian support for militias in the Middle East triggered diplomatic discussions with the countries' ambassadors.

Iran exported non-oil commodities valued at $5.5 billion to Turkey during the first ten months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2024-January 19, 2025), Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) announced.

An assistant to the Iranian foreign minister called on Turkey to avoid making comments or giving analyses that are to the detriment of the two neighbors’ mutual interests.

Iran has also been investing in a north-south economic corridor that will link the Caucasus and Russia with the Persian Gulf.

Iran and Turkey’s regional rivalry deepens as Ankara moves to make peace with the Kurds and expands its influence in Syria and Iraq at Tehran’s expense.

Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited the chargé d’affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Ankara on Tuesday for discussions on bilateral issues, a spokesperson for the ministry confirmed.

DUBAI/ANKARA: Iran and Turkey's foreign ministries summoned their envoys after a diplomatic spat over Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's warning of Tehran against undermining