TEHRAN -- President Ebrahim Raisi underlined the significance of collective interaction and common understanding among the regional countries.
Raisi pointed to deep-rooted historical, cultural, and religious commonalities between Iran and Azerbaijan in a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the 15th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in Ashgabat.
“Iran and Azerbaijan enjoy long-standing close relations; they will not allow such ties to be damaged by the enemies,” he said.
Raisi also pointed to Iran’s unwavering support for Azerbaijan’s independence and territorial integrity.
He said, “Experience shows that wherever regional states resolved their issues through common understanding and dialog, no room was left for foreign interference and incitement.”
He said Washington and Tel Aviv are seeking to disrupt relations between Tehran and Baku, calling on Azerbaijan to exercise vigilance against such conspiracies. Foreign interference, he said, will harm the interests of regional countries.
The Iranian president also welcomed Aliyev’s call for development of transit routes and stronger economic relations between the neighboring countries.
The Azerbaijani president said Baku attaches special importance to its relations with Tehran and will never allow such ties to be disrupted.
He touched on contacts between officials of the two countries to resolve certain misunderstandings between the two countries. “We are committed to the security of the border areas and will not allow any country to disrupt bilateral relations.”
Aliyev said his government is determined to resolve existing transit obstacles and to facilitate operation of Iranian companies in Azerbaijan.
Raisi also told Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev that interaction among the regional countries can help ward off foreign interference.
“Cooperation among the regional countries would turn many threats into opportunities, as there would be no more room for interference from the foreign countries with the active presence of the regional countries,” he said.
Raisi announced Iran’s readiness to boost relations with Uzbekistan in various fields, such as transportation, the energy industry, and the fight against terrorism. He said the foreign ministers of the two countries should devise a roadmap for long-term cooperation between the two nations.
The Uzbek president commended Iran’s active policy in the region. He touched on the two countries’ potentials for economic and trade cooperation and called for an increase in the volume of trade exchanges.
The two presidents also discussed the situation in Afghanistan, stressing the need for the formation of an inclusive Afghan government and establishment of peace and sustainable security.