TEHRAN – Following a visit by a senior Iranian diplomat to Baku, a senior Azerbaijani official praised the “strong” relations between Iran and Azerbaijan.

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the deputy foreign minister of Iran for political affairs, arrived in Baku on Tuesday night, at the start of a regional tour that included Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, and Turkey. Visiting Azerbaijan as the special envoy of the Iranian president, Araghchi pointed out that his trip to neighboring Azerbaijan was aimed at presenting an Iranian initiative to help end the war in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Hikmet Hajiyev, an assistant to the Azerbaijani president who met with Araghchi, said the Iranian diplomat held a “very fruitful” talks with the Azerbaijani officials.

“Araghchi, indeed [held] very fruitful meeting. Azerbaijan and Iran have strong ties of friendship and good neighborly relations. Thanks for your condolences to Azerbaijani martyrs who liberate our lands from occupation and civilians who become target of Armenia's War Crimes,” Hajiyev said in a tweet after Araghchi left Baku for Moscow.

Araghchi himself noted that he has presented the Iranian initiative during a “positive and constructive” meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

“Introduced Iran's Regional Initiative to Help in Ending the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict to H. E. Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, in a positive and constructive long meeting,” the deputy foreign minister said in a tweet.

The war in the volatile region of Nagorno-Karabakh began on September 27, when the military forces of Azerbaijan and local Armenians started to exchange fires along the contact lines of the borders. Since then, at least three ceasefires brokered by world powers were announced but none were implemented as the two sides continued to accuse each other of violating the ceasefires. Azerbaijan says it is fighting to “liberate” its “occupied” territories. On the other hand, Armenia asserts that Azerbaijan is launching a military campaign to occupy lands that belong to ethnic Armenians.

Iran has called on both sides to immediately put an end to violence and resolve their differences through dialogue. Iran also expressed readiness to facilitate such a dialogue.

“Iran is closely monitoring the alarming violence in Nagorno-Karabakh. We call for an immediate end to hostilities and urge dialogue to resolve differences. Our neighbors are our priority and we are ready to provide good offices to enable talks. Our region needs peace now,” tweeted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif shortly after Armenia and Azerbaijan began the war.

SM/PA