Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

An Iranian lawmaker has expressed Tehran's readiness to facilitate resolution of the long-standing Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The remarks were made by Kazzem Jalali, an Iranian legislator and Head of the Parliament's Research Center, on a visit to Baku June 21, according to Iranian media.

Jalali noted, however, that Tehran's involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement would be subject to a request and the approval of both sides.

"We believe that settling the dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region has a political solution and this problem should be resolved by the regional countries and the neighbors close to the region," Jalali said.

Jalali said Iran has defended Azerbaijan's territorial integrity in all international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Iran will continue to defend the neighboring country's integrity in the future, he added.

Jalali further urged all OIC member countries to play a more active role in resolving issues facing the Islamic world, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Iran has on several occasions offered to mediate the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Recently, Iran's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsen Pak Ayeen said that Iran was ready to assist in the resolution of the conflict. He noted that Iran's good relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia allow it to help settle the conflict.

"Disruption of security in the region could also harm Iran's security. The unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and its re-ignition pose a threat to the region," Pak Ayeen said.

He said the fact that Iran borders the conflict zone could undermine the country's security, adding, "Establishment of peace will be useful not only for Azerbaijan and Armenia, but also for the entire region, including Iran. Therefore, the conflict should be resolved peacefully as soon as possible."

Pak Ayeen added that Iran, as the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), could avail of its relations with both Azerbaijan and Armenia to help resolve the Karabakh dispute as soon as possible and in line with Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against the neighboring country. Since a lengthy war between the two South Caucasus countries that displaced over a million Azerbaijanis and ended with the signing of a precarious cease-fire in 1994, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on a pullout from the occupied territories.

Peace talks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs representing the United States, Russia and France have been largely fruitless so far.

The negotiations are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles, also known as Basic Principles. The document envisions a return of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control; determining the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh; a corridor linking Armenia to the region; and the right of all internally displaced persons to return home.