Iran Calls for Diplomacy in Karabakh Conflict Resolution

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A scene from Iranian president Hassan Rouhani's inauguration in Tehran on Monday

A scene from Iranian president Hassan Rouhani’s inauguration in Tehran on Monday

YEREVAN—Iran on Monday called on the sides to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to reach a resolution through dialogue and negotiations, Iranian foreign ministry’s spokesperson Bahram Qassemi told reporters in Tehran.

“We are two neighbors in the north. We have Azerbaijan which is really important for us–we have good relations with that country. We also have friendly and close relations with Armenia. The differences of their position over the Karabakh issue have long existed, and the tension increases from time to time. We hope they will overcome the problems facing in the region,” Bahram Qassemi said.

He expressed hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan can assist in establishing stability and security in the region. According to him, peace and stability in the South Caucasus can have an impact on the broader region.

“We carefully follow the developments in the region, especially in our border parts. We follow our borders and will not allow the conflict to cause damage to our people of bordering regions”, Qassemi said.

“We have constantly negotiated with the two countries, exchanged our views, and hope diplomacy and dialogue will eventually lead to other approaches and methods,” Qassemi said.

Artsakh’s presidential spokesperson David Babayan, in a statement, said that Artsakh authorities greatly value Iran’s balanced stance vis-à-vis the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“Iran has shown a constructive and balanced stance on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict from the onset, and Artsakh values that approach. Since the 1990s Iran has consistently come up with mediation missions. Iran continues its active involvement in the regional politics,” Babayan told Panorama.am, while commenting Iranian President Hasan Rouhani’s statement on the need to establish peace and security in the region and the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

“The Karabakh issue is an integral part of that geopolitics and should not be viewed as a separate matter. Consequently, Iran influences on regional political processes. Tehran has always highlighted the peaceful resolution of the conflict, ruling out war and use of force. This is important and lies in Iran’s interest, since the Islamic Republic borders with Armenia, Artsakh, and Azerbaijan,” Babayan explained.

“That was the case both from 1991 to 1994 when Azerbaijan illegally used Iranian territory, and during the April War (2016) when Azerbaijanis shelled Iranian territories and later claimed the attacks as unintentional,” Babayan concluded.


Source: Asbarez
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