Turkey says 32 diplomats recalled after coup still missing

Turkey's foreign minister said on Friday that 32 diplomats were recalled after a coup attempt, but they have not returned yet.

The 32 are among 208 Foreign Ministry personnel who were recalled to be assigned at the ministry's headquarters, Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Cavusoglu said they are also investigating media reports that a Turkish diplomat at Turkey's embassy in Bangladesh has fled to Russia.

The top Turkish diplomat announced that a U.S. delegation will visit Ankara on Aug. 23-24 for talks about the extradition of Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused by the Turkish government of being behind the July 15 coup attempt.

Tens of thousands of soldiers, police officers and bureaucrats have been detained, dismissed or investigated for alleged links to the coup attempt, which Turkish authorities blame on U.S.-based cleric Gulen

Meanwhile, Cavusoglu said Turkey and Iran were on the same page about territorial integrity of Syria.

"We will enhance cooperation with Iran for peace in Syria," he said.

Turkey also wants to boost economic ties with Iran with the purchase of additional natural gas, Cavusoglu said, adding they also discussed the transfer of Iranian gas to Europe.

Zarif, for his part, welcomed cooperation between Turkey and Russia. "It's Syrian people that should decide on their future," he noted. Endit