TEHRAN – Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili, and Azerbaijani Culture Minister Anar Karimov met in Tehran on Monday.

The expansion of relations on films, visual arts, literature and other cultural issues were discussed in the meeting.

“Ties between Iran and Azerbaijan are beyond the relationship between two countries or two neighbors; we are close relatives,” Esmaeili said in a press conference held following the meeting.

“Therefore, any obstacle on the road to develop the relations between the two countries must be removed, because there are cultural affinities and common luminaries between the countries, which can help strengthen their relationship,” he added.       

Esmaeili called Karimov’s visit to Iran a new beginning for the expansion of cultural relations between Iran and Azerbaijan, and said, “All the issues discussed in our meeting will be mentioned in an agreement, and we will do our best to enhance the level of our relations in the near future.”

“In the meeting, there was general agreement on the need for organizing joint book fairs and film festivals, as well as carrying out joint film projects on our common cultural luminaries and other subjects,” he added.

Esmaeili expressed hope that his Azerbaijani counterpart’s visit to Iran and his meetings with other Iranian officials would pave the ground for a big step in the development of relations between the countries.
   
Karimov thanked Esmaeili for his warm hospitality and said, “Like my counterpart, I believe that relations between Iran and Azerbaijan are beyond simply an ordinary relationship, and can be fostered more than ever.”

“There are great potentials in Iran and Azerbaijan that can help expand cultural relations between the countries,” he noted.

He announced his country’s readiness to organize joint book fairs and mutual cultural weeks, and cooperate on safeguarding common cultural heritage.

He also invited Esmaeili to pay a visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan and expressed hope that his visit will lead the countries to sign a memorandum of understanding between the countries.

During his visit to Tehran, Karimov also held meetings with the directors of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization and National Library and Archives of Iran. 

Photo: Azerbaijani Culture Minister Anar Karimov (L) and Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili, attend a press conference at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on June 20, 2022.

MMS/YAW