Davutoglu criticizes Iran, reiterates EU's need for Turkey

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made a speech on Thursday in a conference at the London School of Economics, criticizing Iran for supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad who has been conducting a massacre against his own people. Underlining that Turkey has serious differences of opinion with Iran over the Syrian issue, Davutoglu expressed hope that Iran would come to understand the new dynamics in the region. Davutoglu also said that Iran remained silent to the Syrian regime's killing of its own people, adding, "Those who support new regional powers will have to become actors of the new regional order." In his speech, Davutoglu also touched on Turkey's EU membership bid, saying that the EU needs Turkey to become effective and economically competitive as well.