Azernews.Az

Iran has good relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia. This is a kind of advantage for the country, Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsen Pakayin said in an interview with Trend news agency on Tuesday.

He said that Iran is ready to mediate in conflict prevention and the establishment of peace in the region in case of necessity.

Iran is ready to mediate in the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Pakayin added.

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen have been exerting efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for many years, he said.

"However, we believe that they have not succeeded in this issue," he stressed. "The Minsk Group co-chairing countries do not want the conflict settled and are interested in its stalling."

"The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement is not a priority for the Minsk Group," he said. "Iran does not consider conflict delays as useful for security in the region and wants to mediate in the issue from this point of view."

"In the case of.. desire, Iran is ready to mediate and present a plan to resolve the conflict," he said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. - are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.