Iran Worried about Links with Armenia after Flare-Up of Baku-Yerevan Clashes
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi emphasized that the eruption of border tensions between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia should by no means endanger the Islamic Republic’s communication with Armenia.
In a telephone conversation on Tuesday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan briefed Raisi on the latest developments along the common border between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan following the eruption of clashes between them.
The Iranian president reportedly made it clear that a new war in the South Caucasus region is unacceptable to Iran and that Tehran is carefully monitoring the course of events, according to Armenpress.
Raisi also stressed that all conflicts in the region should be resolved peacefully, noting that Iran’s position on the territorial integrity of states is clear.
Echoing remarks by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, Raisi underlined that “Iran’s communication with Armenia should not be endangered, and the communication channels should be under the sovereignty of the states.”
He has also expressed Iran’s readiness to support the establishment of peace in the region, adding that the issue of Armenia’s security is important to Iran.
Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan have reported new border clashes that left an unknown number of Azerbaijani troops dead.
The fighting, which broke out early on Tuesday, marks the latest flare-up between the arch foes, who fought a war in 2020 over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Each side blamed the other for the fighting.
In a statement, Armenia’s Defense Ministry said the Azerbaijan Republic launched “intensive shelling” against Armenian military positions in the direction of the cities of Goris, Sok, and Jermuk at 00:05 am (20:05 GMT) on Tuesday. Azerbaijani troops used drones, as well as “artillery and large-caliber firearms,” it said.
But Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry accused Armenia of “large-scale subversive acts” near the districts of Dashkesan, Kelbajar and Lachin on the border, adding that its army positions “came under fire, including from trench mortars”.
There have been frequent reports of fighting along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border since the end of their 2020 war.
