Turkey's prime minister was headed to Iran -- the first trip in two years by a top Turkish leader -- as the two regional rivals continue to jostle for advantage over Syria's chaos, and bolster trade ties.
Ahmet Davutoglu, who was to set to arrive in Tehran on March 4, was expected to discuss trade issues now that international sanctions imposed against Iran for its nuclear programs have been lifted.
But he was also expected to discuss the sharply different views between Ankara and Tehran on the Syrian crisis.
Iran's Shi'ite regime supports the Shi'ite leadership of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey is among his most outspoken critics and backs the Sunni opposition. Turkey is also close to Sunni Saudi Arabia, which has cut its diplomatic ties with Iran.
The visit comes amid a cessation of hostilities in Syria sponsored by the United States, Russia, and the United Nations which has largely held for the past week.
Despite their differences on Syria, Turkey and Iran have largely maintained cordial diplomatic relations over the years.
