TEHRAN – The foreign ministers of the 3+3 format of countries will convene in Tehran on Monday to discuss the situation in the South Caucasus region following the Republic of Azerbaijan’s takeover of the Karabakh region. 

The 3+3 format is comprised of the three Caucasus countries – Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan- plus Iran, Turkey, and Russia. The Tehran meeting will be the second meeting of the format. The first meeting was held in Russia without the participation of Georgia. Iran’s state news agency IRNA said the foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia, Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan will participate in the Monday meeting. 

The meeting will discuss the situation in the South Caucasus and efforts to boost regional cooperation in many areas. 

One of the most important goals of the formation of this regional group is to solve regional problems with the presence of regional countries and without the interference of extra-regional and Western countries, IRNA said, adding that one of the topics of Monday's meeting will be the peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Armenia has received an invitation from Iran to attend a meeting of the 3+3 format, according to an Azerbaijani news outlet.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahan Kostanyan has said that the Armenian government was considering the possibility of a meeting in the 3+3 format at the level of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in Tehran, APA reported.

Kostanyan said Armenia was invited by Iran and he is currently discussing this issue with his Iranian counterparts. “An invitation at the ministerial level was received and sent to the ministries of foreign affairs of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia,” he said. 

Kostanyan added that the 3+3 format also includes the participation of representatives of Türkiye, Iran, and Russia.