Iran, Azerbaijan stress opposition to foreign forces in South Caucasus

Iran and Azerbaijan have expressed their opposition to any foreign intervention in South Caucasus, saying it would only escalate tensions in the region.  

"We do not accept any interference of foreign forces in the region and regional issues should be resolved by the countries of the region," Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told her Azerbaijani counterpart Sahiba Gafarova in Baku.

Qalibaf suggested that regional issues should be resolved within the “3+3” Regional Cooperation Platform comprising the Caucasian nations of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan plus Russia, Turkey, and Iran in order to promote peace and stability.

The Iranian parliament speaker has traveled to Baku for his first visit to Azerbaijan to attend the 15th plenary session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA).

He said new conditions have emerged in the region, citing the Karabakh war in 2020 which resulted in the return of all territories held by Armenian troops since the 1990s to Azerbaijan.

"In difficult days like the Karabakh war, the people and the Leader of the Islamic Republic supported the liberation of the Azerbaijani territories; today the relations must be strong and develop further," Qalibaf said.

He touched on the tripartite communication between Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia through the North-South Corridor, one of the world's biggest international transportation projects.

"The North-South route and transit to Europe and the Far East can be developed with the cooperation of the two countries," Qalibaf said, adding it could open new capacities for all three countries.

The 7,200-km network includes maritime routes, railways, and land routes, and is meant for transportation from India and the Persian Gulf littoral states to Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe.

Qalibaf said, "The will of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to expand relations between the two countries in all fields, especially rail and road transportation and energy transit."

Both countries should speed up the implementation of rail and road projects, he added.

Earlier this month, Iran's Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said authorities from Azerbaijan, Russia, and Iran would meet to discuss the progress of the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway line, part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

An agreement on the implementation of the project is expected to be signed by March, the ambassador said.

Qalibaf said joint projects between Iran and Azerbaijan have gathered momentum after a period of slump which saw Azerbaijan evacuate most of its embassy staff in Tehran in the wake of an attack on the building in 2023.

"The will to expand relations should not be impacted by people who are not interested in this development. Also, by developing defense relations, we can develop the security of the region," he added.

Qalibaf said the embassy and the joint friendship group and visits by their traders should be activated.

"We should strive to develop border and road relations, create border markets, facilitate the movement of people and increase flights between Tehran and Baku. These things will develop the level of trade between the two countries."

Pezeshkian: No need for outsiders, regional states can ensure security on their own

The Iranian president underscored the significance of observing territorial integrity of all states.

Gafarova said she agreed that new conditions have emerged in South Caucasus, where multilateral and bilateral relations are now important.

"The policy of Azerbaijan is that regional issues should be resolved by the countries of the region," she said, adding Azerbaijan supports resolving the regional issues within the 3+3 platform.

Armenia's joint military drills with the United States have elicited dismay in the region. The drills, including “Eagle Partner” war games held last July, reflect Yerevan's efforts to forge closer ties with the US and other Western allies amid souring relations with old ally Russia.

"The entry of extra-regional actors into the region leads to tension and we are against the presence of third countries in our region," Gafarova said.

"We should not allow third countries to disrupt the process of economic and humanitarian development," she said, adding without peace and stability, development is not possible.

Gafarova said the peoples of Azerbaijan and Iran share common historical, religious, and cultural values, which form the foundation of today’s relations and provide a profound basis for further expansion of relations.

She said she was confident that Qalibaf’s first visit to Azerbaijan would contribute to fostering the relations between the two countries.

"We wish to strengthen international cooperation in bilateral relations... I believe in the current situation neighboring countries like Iran and Azerbaijan should have closer ties and deeper connections."

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