Ay Yapim’s new series Heart Of The City will be broadcast in Romania, Iran and Iraq following the latest round of deals announced by international distributor Eccho Rights. Antena in Romania, Gem in Iran and Kurdmax in Iraq have all picked up the show, to follow earlier deals in Chile and Georgia.

The series, which debuted on ATV in January, is the latest from prolific Turkish producers Ay Yapim and writer Ece Yorenc, a partnership which has seen huge global success with Fatmagul, Forbidden Love (Ask-i Memnu), Kurt Seyit & Sura and Medcezir. The same creative team are also behind Brave And Beautiful, another hit series this season in Turkey. Heart Of The City stars popular actors Kerem Bürsin (Seref Meselesi, Günesi Beklerken), Leyla Lydia Tugutlu (Karadayi) and Gürkan Uygun (Kacak).

“Heart Of The City is a truly gripping series which I personally look forward to watching each week. The story is very moving, and the performances of the hugely talented cast are really affecting,” says Fredrik af Malmborg, Managing Director of Eccho Rights.

The story of a young man raised at sea, Heart Of The City sees Ali (Bürsin) reunited with the city that he had tried to leave behind. Though he hates Istanbul and the painful memories that it holds for him, he finds himself drawn deep in to the city in pursuit of a beautiful girl. Ali soon finds far more to connect him to his hometown than he knew existed.