Iran calls for cooperation to promote peace, economic development in Caucasus

Amir-Abdollahian made the remark in a Wednesday meeting with Khalaf Khalafov, the Azerbaijani President's representative for Special Assignments, who is on a visit to the Iranian capital Tehran.

Pointing to restoration of Azerbaijan's sovereignty in Nagorno-Karabakh, he said, "Iran believes that the language of peace and security should replace the language of tension and conflict in this region from now on."

In a televised speech on September 20, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said that his country's military had restored its sovereignty in Nagorno-Karabakh following a 24-hour military operation against pro-Armenian forces.

Now speculation is rife that Azerbaijan might use force to open a corridor connecting the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to mainland Azerbaijan through the southern Armenian province of Syunik.

Armenia opposes the plan on the grounds that it would violate its sovereignty. Iran has supported Armenia’s position, stressing that the territorial integrity of countries must be respected.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian foreign minister also pointed to his meeting with Azerbaijani president in July and reiterated Tehran's determination to improve all-out relations with Baku.

The Azerbaijani's representative, for his part, pointed to the positive developments in ties with Iran and said the two countries should open a new chapter in relations in various sectors.

He outlined the latest developments in Nagorno-Karabakh and reaffirmed Azerbaijan's policy to support the rights of ethnic Armenians in the region.

Khalafov emphasized that guaranteeing freedom and the rights of the ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh and meeting their basic needs are among the priorities of the Azerbaijani government.

Meanwhile in a meeting with Khalafov on Wednesday, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali-Akbar Ahmadian said Tehran pursues a fixed policy regarding Azerbaijan's sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Ahmadian warned against the measures that would cause any geopolitical changes in the region, including those proposed by other actors regarding the Zangezur Corridor.

Such moves "will not help the countries in the region, but will prepare the ground for interference of extra-regional forces and will create new crises in this strategic area," he said.

Iran's top security chief added that any geopolitical changes would endanger regional security and stability, emphasizing, "The Islamic Republic is firmly opposed to any plan that leads to a change in the geopolitics of the region."

Pointing to Iran's efforts to remove any factor of insecurity and crisis from the region, Ahmadian urged countries to boost collective cooperation aimed at establishing peace, stability and sustainable security through dialogue.

He noted that the two countries' officials are determined to develop comprehensive relations and voiced Tehran's readiness to take all the necessary steps in this regard.

For his part, Khalafov said Azerbaijan's policy is to maintain peace and stability in the region and solve regional issues through a regional format.

The Azerbaijani envoy called for the expansion of his country's ties with Iran.