Zarif discusses regional peace, cooperation with Azeri president

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is in Baku as part of his tour of the region, has sat down for talks with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.

According to Press TV, the FM arrived in Azerbaijani capital on Monday evening for key discussions with senior Azeri officials on Tehran-Baku relations as well as major issues of regional and international significance.

During their meeting on Tuesday morning, Zarif and Aliyev reiterated the two neighbors' intentions for the reinforcement of the already cordial ties.

The implementation of a ceasefire between republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan was also at the heart of the conversation.

Zarif will next travel to Yerevan for a series of discussions with Armenian officials.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi says the Islamic Republic’s initiative aims to promote “lasting peace” and settle the decades-long dispute between Baku and Yerevan.

The Foreign Ministry unveiled aspects of the Islamic Republic’s initiative for the resolution of the conflict back in October 2020, saying the proposed plan sought to promote “lasting peace.”

After six weeks of deadly fighting in and around Karabakh, Yerevan and Baku eventually agreed on November 9 to end hostilities under a Russia-brokered deal that secured territorial advances for Azerbaijan in Karabakh and seven surrounding districts.

SS