Iran Press/ Iran news: In recent months, some positions and statements of the officials of the Republic of Azerbaijan against Iran, which were provoked by the Zionist regime and the United States, had caused discord and some tensions between the two countries. In early September 2021, the Republic of Azerbaijan held a joint exercise with Turkey and Pakistan. Two weeks later, the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran was stationed in the border region with the Republic of Azerbaijan and held a large-scale exercise.
However, after a limited period of tension and disagreement, both governments stressed the need to resolve disputes and improve relations between Iran and Azerbaijan as two neighboring countries. An example was the meeting of the Presidents of Iran and Azerbaijan on November 28, 2021, in the capital of Turkmenistan, which emphasized the maintenance of friendly and fraternal relations between the two countries.
After this meeting, a contract for the transfer of Turkmen gas to Azerbaijan via Iran was signed. Under the agreement, Iran will receive 1.5 to 28 billion cubic meters of gas from Turkmenistan in Sarakhs. The same amount will be delivered to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on the Astara border.
"The relations between Tehran and Baku are not just the usual bilateral relations between other countries," said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during a Wednesday meeting with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov.
Related News:
Iran ready to provide technical, engineering capabilities to Azerbaijan
Defense Ministers of Iran, Azerbaijan urge developing defense, security cooperation
"Iran and Azerbaijan are not only relatives, but the existing relations are a deep relationship between the two nations, which is based on the beliefs of the people of the two countries on common religious principles and has been established throughout history.", added Raisi.
The Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Zakir Hasanov, described his meetings and talks with the officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran as very useful, fruitful and path-breaking for the future of cooperation.
Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan are among the leading countries in energy resources and have a good potential to increase cooperation in the regional and global energy market; the two sides have pursued a similar policy in the oil market in recent years.
The trade turnover between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan in the first 11 months of last year increased by 30% compared to the previous year, and the amount of road transport increased by 62.5%.
In addition, Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan are both members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which is important in advancing the regional interests and goals of the two countries.
Common security threats
The situation in the West Asian region and the Caucasus, due to some crises, disputes, and especially foreign interference, has paved the way for the presence of terrorists, as well as the conspiracies of regimes that do not want stability in the region and pursue their political and economic goals. The Zionist regime and the United States are among the parties that have always tried to prevent the convergence of Islamic countries and the establishment of stability in the region by fomenting some differences and creating crises. Accordingly, the defense and security cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan is important in the fight against terrorism and instability in the common borders and the region.
The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, during his meeting with the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, stressed that Iran's power in the region provides security, and stated: The presence of Takfiri and ISIS forces is not in the interest of the people of the region; These gangs are made by the Americans and the Zionists and have committed criminal acts wherever they are present.
The fact that the connecting factors such as neighborhood, religious and historical commonalities, common sea and land borders (about 750 km), demographic homogeneity, and common economic and security interests require Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan as two neighboring countries in bilateral relations and the region to have close cooperation and coordination, which is both in the interests of the two countries and a component of security and stability in the region.
203
Read More:
Israel-Azerbaijan ties at a glance
Iran, R. Azerbaijan; Cooperation on security to reconstruction
