Ilham Aliyev about the upcoming visit to Iran and the persecution of believers

On  February 23, President Ilham Aliyev will pay an official visit to Iran, and on the eve of his visit, he gave an interview to the Iranian Radio and Television (IRIB.) Aliyev said that the   purpose of the visit Aliyev  is to  discuss regional issues, bilateral relations in all spheres, as well as  signing  a number of documents. The implementation of transport corridor North-South will be in the spotlight. "The railroad between Iranian and Azerbaijani Astara will  largely enliven the transport corridor North-South, will significantly increase the proportion of the two countries in international cargo transportation," Aliyev said. Being asked about  the  cooperation in the fight against terrorism, he said that Azerbaijan supports "real" initiatives and measures to combat international terrorism. Azerbaijan together with Iran and other states  is willing to continue to support the decision of the problem of international terrorism.

Speaking about the Karabakh conflict, Aliyev said that Armenia has failed to fulfill the decisions and resolutions of the leading organizations of the world, led by the United Nations, demanding the liberation of the occupied lands. Unfortunately, the world community has not yet applied however the  any real impact of the mechanism for the settlement within the norms and principles of international law in the case of Armenia. As for the OSCE Minsk Group, it remains inconclusive. A policy of double standards is being observed in the world. Thus,  in some cases the occupation causes serious impact mechanisms,  but sometimes  it does not happen. In the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict  the same attitude is expressed to the occupier and under occupation. "This is due to religious discrimination against Azerbaijan as a Muslim state,"- he said.  How to explain the pressure on Muslims, especially Shiites in Azerbaijan? Asking this question  Aliyev said that such allegations are rumors.

Historically there has never been  discrimination  in  Azerbaijan on religious and ethnic grounds; representatives of different nationalities, religions have always lived in peace and mutual understanding. "Despite  growing contradictions between Sunnis and Shiites in some countries, in January this year in  the Heydar  Mosque in Baku  the Shiites and Sunnis  made a single prayer,"  said Aliyev. -02D-