TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has condemned the killing of civilians in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, urging the two sides to exercise restraint.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran expressed regret over the violation of the announced ceasefire in the recent clashes between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and invites the sides to further exercise restraint,” Khatibzadeh said, Mehr reported on Monday.

“Iran condemns missile attacks on infrastructures, civilian areas and killing of civilians and expresses sympathy with the bereaved families of the victims,” he added.

The spokesman further emphasized that Iran invites the two sides to be committed to the ceasefire and continue talks within the international framework and respect each other’s territorial integrity and evacuate the occupied cities.

Tehran announces its readiness to facilitate such talks in order to reach a resolution that would lead to regional peace, Foreign Ministry official added.

Clashes erupted between Azerbaijan and Armenia on September 27, which led to the killing and injury of dozens on both sides. The two countries are fighting over a breakaway that is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but controlled by local ethnic Armenians who are backed by Yerevan.

The breakaway of Nagorno-Karabakh has long been a source of conflict between Baku and Yerevan since the early years of the 1990s when the two sides fought a years-long war over the disputed region that led to the Armenian forces declaring independence from Azerbaijan and also occupying parts of Azerbaijani territories surrounding the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh.

The two sides agreed to a ceasefire starting on Saturday to exchange prisoners and bodies of those killed in the conflict. However, each side has since accused the other of breaking the agreement. Armenia and Azerbaijan also accused each other of bombarding civilian areas ahead of the ceasefire.

The talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia were held in Moscow and were the first diplomatic contact between them since September 27.

Hundreds of people have died and thousands been displaced since the latest violence broke out.

MH/PA