Tehran, Baku Move to Enhance Ties With New Deal
TEHRAN (Dispatches) - Iran and Azerbaijan have signed a contract to bolster their economic cooperation as Baku welcomes Iran’s increased investment and technical assistance to rebuild regions around Nagorno-Karabakh that were liberated following a deadly conflict with ethnic Armenian forces late last year.
The agreement was signed during a meeting of the Joint Commission on Iran-Azerbaijan Economic Cooperation held in the headquarters of the Iranian Finance Ministry on Monday.
Iran’s Finance Minister Farhad Dejpassand said after signing the contract that it will be focused on how the two neighboring countries would be able to expedite current joint projects while introducing mechanisms that could lead to a finalization of future cooperation plans.
Dejpassand said that Azerbaijan had agreed as part of the document to allow Iranian private companies to get involved in various development projects in the country.
The minister elaborated that those projects would be mostly focused on "reconstruction” efforts in Azerbaijan, suggesting that Iran would become involved in plans to develop liberated regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran’s fundamental policy has always been based on deepening and expanding political and economic relations with all countries, especially the Muslim and neighboring countries,” said the minister.
"Relations between Iran and Azerbaijan have a high significance with regard to historic, cultural, religious and economic aspects,” he said.
Shahin Mustafayev, the first deputy prime minister of Azerbaijan, who led his country’s economic delegation in the meeting in Tehran, said the two countries were bracing for a new chapter in their economic ties.
Mustafayev said Azerbaijan would openly welcome the contribution of major Iranian companies to reconstruction programs for the war-torn regions near Nagorno-Karabakh.
After a clean-up in the liberated regions, we will be ready for joint projects with major Iranian companies in those regions in the fields of infrastructure, construction, equipment manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, said Mustafayev, according to remarks published by Iran’s semi-official ILNA news agency.
Iran’s Ambassador to Baku Seyed Abbas Mousavi said that reconstruction of the war-hit region of Karabakh will usher in a new chapter in Iran-Azerbaijan Republic cooperation in different fields.
"Participation of Iranian companies in reconstruction of the liberated parts of the Republic of Azerbaijan is a new chapter in mutual cooperation,” Mousavi wrote on his Twitter page on Tuesday referring to the 14th meeting of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan in Tehran.
He added that most of the remaining projects have been finalized and the ground for a new chapter of cooperation, especially the participation of Iranian companies in the reconstruction of liberated areas of Karabakh, has been set.
"There is also an opportunity for regional cooperation and convergence,” the ambassador noted.
The agreement was signed during a meeting of the Joint Commission on Iran-Azerbaijan Economic Cooperation held in the headquarters of the Iranian Finance Ministry on Monday.
Iran’s Finance Minister Farhad Dejpassand said after signing the contract that it will be focused on how the two neighboring countries would be able to expedite current joint projects while introducing mechanisms that could lead to a finalization of future cooperation plans.
Dejpassand said that Azerbaijan had agreed as part of the document to allow Iranian private companies to get involved in various development projects in the country.
The minister elaborated that those projects would be mostly focused on "reconstruction” efforts in Azerbaijan, suggesting that Iran would become involved in plans to develop liberated regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran’s fundamental policy has always been based on deepening and expanding political and economic relations with all countries, especially the Muslim and neighboring countries,” said the minister.
"Relations between Iran and Azerbaijan have a high significance with regard to historic, cultural, religious and economic aspects,” he said.
Shahin Mustafayev, the first deputy prime minister of Azerbaijan, who led his country’s economic delegation in the meeting in Tehran, said the two countries were bracing for a new chapter in their economic ties.
Mustafayev said Azerbaijan would openly welcome the contribution of major Iranian companies to reconstruction programs for the war-torn regions near Nagorno-Karabakh.
After a clean-up in the liberated regions, we will be ready for joint projects with major Iranian companies in those regions in the fields of infrastructure, construction, equipment manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, said Mustafayev, according to remarks published by Iran’s semi-official ILNA news agency.
Iran’s Ambassador to Baku Seyed Abbas Mousavi said that reconstruction of the war-hit region of Karabakh will usher in a new chapter in Iran-Azerbaijan Republic cooperation in different fields.
"Participation of Iranian companies in reconstruction of the liberated parts of the Republic of Azerbaijan is a new chapter in mutual cooperation,” Mousavi wrote on his Twitter page on Tuesday referring to the 14th meeting of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan in Tehran.
He added that most of the remaining projects have been finalized and the ground for a new chapter of cooperation, especially the participation of Iranian companies in the reconstruction of liberated areas of Karabakh, has been set.
"There is also an opportunity for regional cooperation and convergence,” the ambassador noted.