Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the visit by US Ambassador to Ankara Jeff Fleck to the leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP) (Turkey's largest opposition party) Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who is Erdogan's main rival in the upcoming presidential elections.
During a speech at the opening of development projects in Istanbul on Sunday, the Turkish president said: "In the upcoming elections, we must teach the United States a lesson."
"(US President Joe) Biden is speaking from there, and his ambassador is here, what is he doing? He goes to visit Kemal (Kılıçdaroğlu), this is shameful. Try to use your mind a little, because you are an ambassador and your contact here should be with the president."
Erdogan called on the US ambassador not to exceed his limit and commit to the duties of his office, and stressed that he will not receive this American ambassador again, saying, "We have closed our doors in his face."
Kılıçdaroğlu is Erdogan's main rival in the May 14 elections, and he is running as a candidate from a bloc of six opposition parties.