Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has urged Azerbaijan and Armenia to exercise restraint in dealing with the current conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, saying Tehran wants peace and stability restored to the region.
Rouhani called on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to do all they can to ensure the implementation of a ceasefire currently on hold in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is very upset about the killing of civilians and troops of the two friendly, neighboring countries,” Rouhani said, adding that Iran is ready to use all its capacities for the peaceful settlement of disputes between the two sides through political dialogue.
The Iranian president warned that a prolonged conflict over Karabakh would harm the interests of Azerbaijan and Armenia more than any other country.
“The region is currently grappling with massive crises and terrorists and their sponsors always try to spread the crisis to the entire region,” Rouahni said, adding that any extra tension and conflict could pave the way for the ill-wishers to realize their objectives.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called for the settlement of fierce conflict between Armenia-backed and Azerbaijani forces, saying sustainable peace must be established in the disputed border region of Karabakh.
“Given prevailing problems and crises in the region, all-out efforts should be made so that we will never witness the escalation of any new problem and crisis,” the Iranian minister said.
Zarif expressed Iran’s readiness to help restore calm to the Karabakh region, which has been the scene of deadly fighting between Armenia-backed and Azerbaijani forces in recent days.
“Our objective is to end the clashes in Karabakh,” said Zarif, calling on the regional countries to help facilitate the return of peace to the region.
The Iranian Foreign Minister has also expressed hope that the ceasefire agreed recently between Azerbaijan and Armenia would last to help end clashes in the disputed region of Karabakh.
“We hope that the ceasefire would be lasting,” Zarif said.
He added that Iranian officials have held meetings with Azeri and Armenian authorities to exchange views on recent hostilities in the Caucasus region.
The Islamic Republic of Iran pursues a policy of expanding ties with Azerbaijan and other neighbors, Zarif said.
Zarif also called for further promotion of Tehran-Baku ties in different sectors, including banking, energy and anti-terrorism cooperation.
Foreign ministers of Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkey have signed two documents to strengthen trilateral cooperation and improve peace and security in the region.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Turkish and Azeri counterparts Mevlut Cavusoglu and Elmar Mammadyarov, respectively, signed the documents and issued a statement at the end of the fourth session of trilateral talks in the Iranian city of Ramsar in the northern Mazandaran Province.
Zarif said foreign ministers of the three countries agreed that their deputies would set up a steering committee to follow up on decisions adopted during the trilateral meeting in Ramsar.
He added that the statement of the meeting called for bolstering cooperation among Tehran, Ankara and Baku based on common principles to which the three sides are committed.
The Iranian minister said the three sides agreed to cooperate on a variety of issues, including transit, energy, tourism and culture.
He emphasized that the three countries held good discussion and agreed to enhance cooperation to improve peace and security in the region.
Zarif also said participants at the meeting called for observing international regulations and implementing international accords, particularly a nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in July 2015.
Zarif further noted that the next ministerial meeting between Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkey will be hosted by the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Source: Press TV