Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met and held talks with the acting foreign minister of Armenia Ara Ayvazyan in Yerevan on Wednesday.
The Iranian Foreign Minister described the visit to Yerevan as a good opportunity to discuss the special conditions in the region, and referred to the visit of the Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development to Armenia earlier this week and expressed hope that the implementation of agreements reached during his visit will help further expand relations between the two countries.
Zarif described the Caucasus as a crucial region and the maintenance of its security and peace as a matter of Iran's national security.
The top Iranian diplomat also pointed to Iran's principled policy towards the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis since the 1990s and stressed respect for territorial integrity, respect for the rights of all the people in the region, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
He referred to Iran's efforts in recent months to help resolve disputes peacefully and expressed Tehran's concern over the recent tensions and escalations. He also stressed the need for showing restraint on the part of all parties and respect for each other's territorial integrity and efforts to resolve disputes through dialogue.
Iran's Foreign Minister further said that the Islamic Republic of Iran suffers from the consequences of any tensions in the region, emphasizing the need to help bring the views of the two countries closer to each other. He also stressed the need to respect international borders and the territorial integrity of countries in the region, saying that any redrawing of the borders is a red line for Iran.
Zarif expressed hope that the disputes and tensions in the region between the Republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia would de-escalate and that the countries of the region would move towards stability and increased useful communications for the sake of the people of the region.
The acting foreign minister of Armenia, for his part, pointed to the cooperation agreements between the two countries, stressing that the importance of regular talks between the leaders of the two countries.
Ayvazyan expressed hope that bilateral relations would expand in various fields.
Referring to the border dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan in recent weeks, he said that these events are inconsistent with the stability and peace in the region.
Prior to Armenia visit, Zarif had previously visited the Republic of Azerbaijan and met with President Ilham Aliyev.
The Iranian Foreign Minister also met today with the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.
KI/FNA14000305000725
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