Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Chairman of Azerbaijan's State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations Elshad Iskandarov has held meetings with officials during a working visit to Iran.

According to the Committee, during the meetings the current Iranian-Azerbaijani religious, spiritual, cultural and scientific relations and the prospects of their development were discussed and specific agreements reached over cooperation between the Committee and relevant bodies of Iran.

The Committee chairman spoke about the state support for Islamic religious values in Azerbaijan and said the number of mosques increased from 17 to 1,800 after the country gained independence.

Iskandarov also pointed out the vandalistic acts of Armenians regarding Islamic religious and cultural monuments in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and called on influential religious figures of Iran to put forward their stance in line with the principles of Islamic unity.

During the meeting with Iskandarov, Culture Minister Ali Jannati said that there are deep religious and cultural ties between Iran and Azerbaijan.

Jannati said the new Iranian government is interested in strengthening relations with neighboring and friendly Azerbaijan.

The Iranian minister highly assessed the level of the bilateral cultural relationship and said the relations in other areas continue to expand.

According to him, the rapprochement of the two countries will positively affect the people of Iran and Azerbaijan.

"The media plays an important role in the development or worsening of relations between countries. We would like to see the media contributing to the development of the relations between our two nations," Jannati said.

Iskandarov, for his part, expressed his satisfaction with the visit to Iran. He also said representatives of different religions peacefully coexist in Azerbaijan.

During the meeting of Iskandarov and Chairman of the Iranian Organization of Islamic Cooperation Mohammad Bagir Humradshad, it was announced that in the near future, Azerbaijan and Iran will sign an agreement aimed at enhancing cultural and religious relations.

Iskandarov offered to set up a joint working group to organize religious activities.

Humradshad said Iran was ready to cooperate in the translation of the Quran and religious books.

The parties discussed issues of exchange of students and experts, as well as the question of using the experience of Islamic studies at Azerbaijani universities.

The State Committee chairman began his official visit to neighboring Iran on September 14.

During the visit Iskandarov also met with the Iranian Supreme Leader's counselor in Tehran.

He is also expected to meet with the religious leaders of Iran and Azerbaijani students in the city of Qom.