Foreign Ministry spokesman reacts to remarks by Azerbaijan’s president on Iran ties with Armenia

Kanaani has reacted to recent comments by the Republic of Azerbaijan’s president on the Islamic Republic’s support for Armenia, saying, “Our principled policy is based on good neighborliness and expansion of relations with all neighbors, and strengthening of ties with a neighbor does not mean those relations are against another neighbor.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has reacted to recent comments by the Republic of Azerbaijan’s president on the Islamic Republic’s support for Armenia, saying, “Our principled policy is based on good neighborliness and expansion of relations with all neighbors, and strengthening of ties with a neighbor does not mean those relations are against another neighbor.”

He highlighted Iran’s principled policy on the long-running dispute between the two northern neighbors in the Karabakh region, saying, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has constantly emphasized protection of the territorial integrity of the Republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan and a peaceful resolution of their differences while respecting rights and within the framework of international law. That is why Iran condemned the occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories and supported their liberation at the highest levels.”

It has been nearly two years that officials of Azerbaijan and Armenia, at different levels of representation, have held bilateral and multilateral meetings at various political, military and security levels, and on the path to constant peace and reconciliation,  
something that has had the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran, but the reasons for concerns in Baku over conventional neighborly meetings are incomprehensible, Kanaani said.

The foreign ministry spokesman described the recent drills held on the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan as a routine and pre-planned move, of which relevant neighbors were informed in advance through official channels.

“The solution to the Caucasus problems does not lie in a resort to extra-regional forces but in the capitals of regional countries, and the Islamic Republic reiterates its readiness to help resolve the outstanding issues between the two northern neighbors in bilateral and trilateral formats and in the form of six-way regional initiatives in Tehran,” the official added.