Iran Urges Sustainable Truce in Nagorno-Karabakh
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called for efforts to uphold a ceasefire between the Azerbaijan Republic and Armenia at the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, rejecting any foreign interference in the settlement of regional conflicts.
“The efforts should be focused on the sustainability of ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh region,” President Rouhani said in a meeting with his Azeri counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, on the sidelines of the 13th Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Thursday.
Stressing the need for the settlement of regional disputes via negotiations, the Iranian president also voiced opposition to any foreign interference in the region.
As regards ties with Azerbaijan, Rouhani hoped for the enhancement of ties between Tehran and Baku, calling for the implementation of bilateral agreements that would set the ground for closer ties between the two sides' private sectors.
For his part, Aliyev hailed Iran as one of the best and closest friends of Azerbaijan’s, saying he saw a bright prospect for the bilateral relations.
Iran has already expressed readiness to use its influence to help resolve the Azeri-Armenian dispute in a peaceful way.
Dozens of soldiers were killed earlier in April in fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces along the frontlines of the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
A truce was later agreed at a meeting in Moscow between the chiefs of staff of the Azeri and Armenian militaries.
Nagorno-Karabakh has been under the control of Armenian military and separatists since a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan ended in 1994. Years of negotiations have brought little progress in resolving the dispute.
