Iran, Russia can help resolve Caucasus conflict: Ex-envoy
Iran’s former ambassador to Azerbaijan and expert on the Caucasus affairs said that Iran and Russia can cooperate to help relieve the escalating tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Mohsen Pakaein told ILNA that if Russians do not follow the path drawn for them by the US and Europe, they can, in cooperation with Iran, “help resolve this conflict in the interest of establishing peace in the region, which is in the interest of all”.
The ex-envoy said that the main goal of the US and Europe in interfering in the Caucasus issues is to put pressure on Russia, not to work in favor of Armenia or Azerbaijan.
Evaluating the recent developments in the Caucasus region, Pakaein added that if Russia takes a more active approach, fulfills its monitoring duty, and supports the territorial integrity of Armenia and Azerbaijan, the United States and Europe would have no excuse to be active in the region.
This comes as Azerbaijan said on Saturday that Armenian forces had fired on its troops overnight, and that Azerbaijan Army units took “retaliatory measures”. Armenia denied the incident.
The Armenian government said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held telephone conversations on Saturday with Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi as well as with the leaders of France, Germany, Georgia, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Reuters reported. Azerbaijan said its foreign minister discussed the situation with a senior US State Department official.
Azerbaijan, Iran hold meeting
Meanwhile, the representatives from the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran held the third meeting of the Joint Commission on Military Cooperation on Saturday.
The head of the Iranian delegation Major General Mohammad Ahadi noted that some elements are attempting to undermine the current friendly and neighborly relations between the countries by spreading unfounded and false information in recent days. As such, he stressed the importance of mutual visits and working meetings.
The two sides also exchanged views on expanding relations in several areas of cooperation in the military sphere, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense said in an announcement. The previously implemented measures were highly appreciated by both sides.