Iran foreign minister to attend Erdogan inauguration

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will travel to the Turkish capital, Ankara, to attend the inauguration ceremony of the country’s President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A spokesperson at Iran’s Embassy in Ankara was quoted by IRNA news agency on Tuesday as saying that Zarif will take part in the ceremony set to be held on Thursday.

Senior officials from 65 countries including presidents of Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Albania, Somalia and Bulgaria will participate in the event. Representatives from a number of international organizations are also expected to attend the ceremony.

Erdogan has been the country’s prime minister since 2003 and is to become the first ever directly-elected president following his victory in August 10 elections.

Erdogan, the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) candidate, managed to secure almost 52 percent of the votes cast in the first round of Turkey’s presidential election. His main rival, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, won over 38 percent of the ballot.

He can serve two five-year terms as president and remain in power until 2024.

On August 21, the AKP nominated Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to replace Erdogan as Turkey’s next premier. The decision means that Davutoglu will be the next chairman of the ruling party and will be tasked with forming the new government.

The next chief will be voted at a special AKP congress on August 27, a day before Erdogan’s inauguration.

Davutoglu has been Turkey's foreign minister since 2009, and previously served as the chief advisor to the premier.