Hyderabad, May 22 -- As Turkey, and to some extent Iran, came under heavy criticism in India for siding with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor one needs to understand the long history of relationship among these countries. The origin of cordiality can be traced back to August 14, 1947, that is the day a new entity came into being in the sub-continent.

Iran was the first country in the world to recognize Pakistan followed by Turkey. That was the time when Iran was ruled by anti-Islamist Westernized monarch and Turkey was under the rule of ultra-secular Kemalist regime.

Stand on Kashmir

Here it should be recalled that these two countries were the major suppliers of arms and ammunition to Pakistan during 1965 and 1971 wars with India. Shi...