BAKU (Dispatches) -- 

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian have discussed mutual relations and leading regional and international issues.

The meeting between Amir-Abdollahian and Aliyev took place on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Aliyev said that his country will never allow its soil be used against the Islamic Republic and the region. 

He stressed the importance of relations between Azerbaijan and Iran, calling for further development of cooperation between the two countries.  

He also expressed hope that those behind an attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran in January will be appropriately punished.

Aliyev said Azerbaijan welcomes the increasing dynamics of economic and trade relations between Tehran and Baku.

Amir-Abdollahian, for his part, conveyed the greetings of the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Aliyev.  

The minister touched on the willingness of the Iranian and Azerbaijani officials to expand bilateral relations. 

He said Tehran and Baku have proven that they can overcome difficult challenges, adding the two countries are pursuing common goals by being realistic and relying on the existing extensive capacities in the field of cooperation.

Amir-Abdollahian said there is a positive dynamism regarding the economic ties between Tehran and Baku and their role is of high importance in developing the North-South corridor.

Speaking to reporters about his meeting with Aliyev on Wednesday, the Iranian minister said Iran views the security of Azerbaijan as its own.

He touched on the attack on the Azerbaijani embassy, saying investigations into the incident have been completed. 

 “We agree with the authorities of the friendly and brotherly country of Azerbaijan that the investigation of should be completed quickly. The most severe punishment awaits the assailant 

and any party that was involved in this criminal act.”
They also discussed transit routes in the region, with Aliyev saying speculations that the reopening of a transit route linking Nakhchivan to Azerbaijan would lead to the closure of the historical transportation routes between Iran and Armenia were incorrect.
Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan has not sought to close Iran’s historic transportation routes in the region and will never do so, Amir-Abdollahian added.
The minister said the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran have the most in common among their neighbors.
“We consider that travels between the people of the two countries and all-round cooperation between the two countries should be at their best without any restrictions and misunderstandings. We believe that disputes in the South Caucasus region can only be resolved peacefully.”