TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry late on Sunday called on neighboring Armenia and the Azerbaijan Republic to settle the conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue through dialogue, ISNA reported.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran urges its two northern neighbors to exercise restraint and advises the two sides to make concerted efforts to restore peace and resolve the conflicts through dialogue,” Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi Qassemi insisted in a statement as tensions between the two countries escalated again.

It came after Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense issued a statement confirming that a new skirmish erupted between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh on Saturday, leading to death of forces from both sides.

“On February 25, military units of the Azeri armed forces destroyed the permanent firing position, shelling positions and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) of the Armenian side,” the statement read.

The spokesman further expressed hope that the international community would help put an end to the conflict.

He also voiced Iran’s readiness to assist and cooperate with both sides to help restore peace to the region.

Dating back to 1988, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began and escalated into armed clashes following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The region has been struggling with continuous tensions and border skirmishes despite a ceasefire signed back in 1994.

In April 2016, a new Moscow-brokered ceasefire went into effect, temporarily halting the fighting. However, the two sides have since accused one another of violating the truce.

MH/PA