TEHRAN — Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov Aly oglu has thanked Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei for supporting Baku's standing on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In a phone conversation with Iran's ambassador to Baku on Tuesday, Khalaf Khalafov expressed his country's appreciation for Ayatollah Khamenei's "important and fair" remarks which were based on "friendship and brotherhood" between the two neighboring countries, the Iranian embassy in Baku reported.

He also described as important the Iranian special envoy's trip and Iran's regional initiative to resolve to the crisis.

Ayatollah Khamenei on Tuesday expressed regret over the ongoing war between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Kharabakh, calling it a “bitter incident”.

The Leader suggested that the main solution to the problem is a return of all occupied lands of Azerbaijan by Armenia and “this must be done and international borders must be respected.”

However, the security of the ethnic Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region must be protected, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.

Khalaf Khalafov also underlined the importance of immediate implementation of the agreements reached in the meeting between Azerbaijan's president and Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Araqchi traveled to Baku on Wednesday on a regional trip to present Iran's initiative for a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and held talks with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov during his visit.

MH/PA