Azerbaijan, Baku, September 4 / Trend /
Iran calls on Azerbaijan and Armenia to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.
"Tehran's official position on the Karabakh problem is as follows. Iran calls on the parties of the conflict to express restraint and peacefully resolve this problem. We are ready to contribute to this process", minister said.
He said that promoting peace and security in the region, as well as peaceful settlement of conflicts within international law is a fundamental policy of Iran. "We have always been resolute in implementing this policy. We will strive for disagreements to be resolved in accordance with the interests of the conflicting parties", Mottaki said.
Minister said that the Karabakh conflict is developing in the vicinity of Iran. Tehran's initiative can only complement other efforts in this direction. "Moreover, we believe that regional conflicts must be resolved through the efforts of the region", minister said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.
The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding negotiations to resolve the dispute.
Armenia has failed to implement U.N. Security Council resolutions stipulating the liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions.