LONDON
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said his country and Iran had deep running differences concerning their approach to the crisis in Syria.
"We have serious differences of opinion with Iran over the Syrian issue. We hope that Iran would come to understand the new dynamics in the region," Davutoglu told Thursday a conference at the London School of Economics on challenges in global and regional politics.
Davutoglu said Iran remained silent to the Syrian regime's killing of its own people, adding that the UN Security Council has been unable to act on the crisis in Syria as well.
Over Iran's controversial nuclear program, Davutoglu said Turkey had a clear position on the issue, adding, "we do not want to see a nuclear power in our region -- Iran, Israel or any other country. But we believe that all countries have a right for a peaceful nuclear program."
Responding to a question on Turkey's relations with Israel, Davutoglu said relations would not go back to normal until Israel extended an official apology and paid redress for the families of the victims of the Mavi Marmara attack, and the Jewish state lifted its blockade on Gaza.
In May 2010, Israeli commandos raided a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, killing nine Turkish nationals on international waters.
