President Masoud Pezeshkian says that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always advocated for respecting the rights and territorial integrity of other countries, calling it the first and foremost principle of international law.
Pezeshkian made the remarks while responding to a question related to Armenia-Azerbaijan disputes during an interview with the state television network of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Azerbaijani Television (AzTV) – on Sunday.
“We must respect each other's territorial integrity and not have any aspirations for the territory,” he said, adding that disputes begin when one side wants to take over the lands of others.
Referring to Iran’s stance in helping the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the president said that all countries, including Iran, have accepted this international framework that will also resolve the differences between Baku and Yerevan.
Pezeshkian noted that the Islamic Republic has long sought the both sides to resolve their disputes through dialogue and live in peace. “We have always defended the rights of Azerbaijan and, naturally, within the same framework, we also defend the rights of Armenia,” he said.
‘We never feel alienated in Azerbaijan’
Pezeshkian, who traveled to Azerbaijan today, hailed the growing relations between the two neighbors, emphasizing that Iran is the second homeland of Azerbaijanis.
“We are traveling to Azerbaijan because we never feel alienated there,” he said in response to a question related to his official visit, adding that “neighbors always have walls to separate them, but they are still together.”
Pezeshkian said that he would discuss academic, commercial, scientific, cultural, artistic and economic relations during the meeting with Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev.
“Given the capabilities and skills we have in terms of science, economy, industry, culture, health, medicine, and trade, we can communicate and help with each other,” he added.
‘Iran, Azerbaijan enough potential to deepen bilateral relations’
The president also addressed the initiative to establish a land connection between Azerbaijan’s mainland and Nakhchivan via Iran. “The project is progressing rapidly. It has already been agreed upon, and there will be no issues in creating a land link between Iran’s territory and Azerbaijan’s mainland with Nakhchivan,” he said.
Pezeshkian said that the implementation of the railway route is on the agenda of talks between the two neighbors, saying these, including North-South routes help strengthen trade, cultural, and economic ties.
The president also talked about new agreements in the field of energy, especially green energy with Azerbaijan. “We can obtain clean energy from existing dams and some under construction,” he said.
Referring to the presence of Iran and Azerbaijan at international forums, Pezeshkian underlined that the two countries share similar stance at platforms such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the United Nations. “If we strengthen our connections, BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Eurasian Economic Union are the next step in cooperation,” he added.
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