Azernews.Az

The Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan issued a strongly worded statement on Monday condemning recent reports critical of Iran circulated in the local media.

``The distorted reports, along with seeking to foment hate and hostility between the two countries and nations, betray public opinion in the home country and complicate Azerbaijan`s foreign policy,`` the statement says.

The embassy stressed that Iran supports peace and stability in the region. It also refers to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group, which is brokering talks to settle the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh.

``The occupation of Shusha and Lachin [by Armenian armed forces during the war with Azerbaijan in the early 1990s] had no bearing on Iran`s mediating mission,`` the statement said, dismissing media allegations that Tehran facilitated the Armenian invasion of these territories. ``It was clear that some forces in the region were trying to derail Iran`s peacekeeping mission by instigating the conflict parties. The Minsk Group`s inability and failure to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict peacefully has been proven. This failure is largely due to the Minsk Group member states and conflict parties` being interested in this conflict lingering on and their benefiting from this regional disaster.``

The embassy claimed that Iran had sought to develop trade ties with Azerbaijan, but the neighboring country was not inclined to boost the trade turnover. Nonetheless, it said, the volume of Iran`s trade with the South Caucasus republic currently significantly surpasses that with Armenia.

The diplomatic mission also dismissed allegations on human rights violations in Iran.

``This is filthy propaganda of the West and Zionist forces and, unfortunately, some Azerbaijani media have fallen into that trap. Culprits are punished in accord with the law, while criminals, drug smugglers and armed insurgents are sentenced to death,`` the statement said.