Iranian FM arrives in Azerbaijan
By Vugar Khalilov
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has arrived in Baku for an official visit at his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov's invitation, Trend reported on December 22.
Commenting on his visit to Baku, Abdollahian told reporters that there are various ideas for developing Iranian-Azerbaijani cooperation.
"I am rejoicing that relations between Iran and Azerbaijan are developing on an upward trend. I have had many meetings with my Azerbaijani counterpart over the past three months. We have reached a positive agreement on the development of cooperation. Within the visit, the mentioned issues will be finalized,” Abdollahian noted.
According to Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh, Abdollahian is expected to hold bilateral meetings with Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova, Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov as a part of his visit.
The sides will discuss prospects for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries, as well as regional processes.
Earlier, Bayramov and Abdollahian discussed regional issues at their meeting that was held on the sidelines of the ECO Council of Foreign Ministers in Ashgabat, on November 28.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the current regional situation, including the Sochi meeting of the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders, the declaration signed on November 26, the implementation of trilateral statements in general and the importance of the "3+3" cooperation platform.
The ministers welcomed the meetings held in New York within the framework of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly this year, as well as constructive work on the implementation of agreements reached during numerous telephone conversations. In addition, satisfaction was expressed with the meeting of the co-chairs of the Azerbaijan-Iranian State Commission on Economic, Trade and Humanitarian Affairs on November 21 in Tehran.
The sides also discussed other important regional issues, including the situation in Afghanistan and its impact on the country and the surrounding region, as well as negotiations in Vienna on Iran's nuclear program and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Additionally, they discussed cooperation between the two countries within international organizations and other issues of mutual interest.
After liberating its lands from Armenia's occupation in a 44-day war with Armenia in 2020, Azerbaijan restored control over the 132-km section of the Azerbaijan-Iran border. The restoration of control over the state border created new opportunities and prospects for broader cooperation between the two countries.
It should be noted that the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran amounted to $339.1 million in 2020. This figure was $293.2 million in the first nine months of 2021.
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