Baku and Tehran intend to strengthen relations

The Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as part of  an official visit to Baku, held a meeting on Monday and held talks with Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and President Ilham Aliyev.

During a briefing in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan on the results of these meetings, Mammadyarov noted the positive dynamics of bilateral relations. In the past two years, the two presidents met four times, about 20 ministers from both countries have made mutual visits. "The two presidents have given appropriate instructions for the development of relations,"  he said.

Referring to the negotiations, he said that they were affected by all aspects of the relationship, including politics, economics, culture, as well as trilateral contacts between Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey, the legal status of the Caspian Sea, energy, railway to and others.

"Next week, several Iranian Ministers will  visit Azerbaijan, and the delegation from Baku to visit Iran, all this will further strengthen bilateral relations,"  he said, noting that prepares and a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey.

According to Mammadyarov,  the idea of opening of railway communication between the two countries through Astara are  being discussed. "In this way, Iran would get access to Russia and Europe.

As for the status of the Caspian Sea, the five-sided meeting of the Caspian countries will be held March,  and bilateral talks with Iran will  be held, Mamedyarov said, noting that meetings of defense  and culture ministers of the two countries  are being arranged.

Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Iran highly values its relations with Baku, and would like to strengthen them in the framework of international organizations and regional cooperation.  "On the issue of the Caspian Sea, we must conduct more serious bilateral negotiations, as well as to strengthen cooperation in the field of economy, transport, defense, agriculture and other" - he said and expressed his gratitude for the support of Baku Iran's position on nuclear program. -03C-