Azernews.Az

Some forces are trying to tarnish the friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Iran, the first deputy speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament, Ziyafat Asgarov, said at a parliamentary session on Monday.

The statement came after a US congressman prepared a draft resolution on the South Azerbaijan issue. Dana Rohrabacher called on the U.S. to support the struggle of the South Azerbaijan people for independence.

In his message to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rohrabacher pointed to the need to support the struggle for independence of southern Azerbaijan from Iran.

"Let everyone resolve their own problems," Asgarov said. "Iran recognizes Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, while Azerbaijan recognizes Iran's integrity. The reason the US congressman sent the draft resolution to the White House and submitted it to Congress for discussion is [his] insincere attitude toward Azerbaijan."

Asgarov said further that "it would be better" if the congressman raised the issue of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem before the US president and the mediating OSCE Minsk Group.

"It would be good if this congressman raised the issue of pressure on Armenia in connection with the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory. Azerbaijan does not claim anyone's land," Asgarov said.