"We are honored today to visit the shrine of Imam Ali (Peace be upon him), and it was an honorable visit to us," Yildiz said in a statement to the media center of Imam Ali Holy Shrine after the visit.
He added, "These holy places are not specific to Turks, but they belong to everyone, especially Muslims from all over the Islamic World."
He said: "We follow the dictum and the words of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), which always calls for peaceful cohabitation and brotherhood."
"The courage of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) is not strange in history, he is known and famous for his bravery and strength. We hope that Imam Ali's courage will be reflected in the field to the Iraqi security forces so that they can continue fighting and we are alongside with them in that."