Iran calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to exercise restraint
By Sara Rajabova
Iran has urged Baku and Yerevan to negotiate to reach an agreement following a sharp escalation of fighting between the two countries in recent days.
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on August 3 the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia has no "military solution."
She expressed regret over the killing of Azerbaijani soldiers in the recent military conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Over the last five days, Azerbaijani positions have been constantly under attack, and 13 servicemen have been killed, several more got wounded. Armenian side suffered more losses, while trying to hide this fact from the public.
Afkham also voiced Iran's concern about skirmishes between the two sides. She further invited both Armenia and Azerbaijan to exercise restraint.
Over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, has been occupied by Armenian armed forces since a lengthy war between the two South Caucasus countries in the early 1990s. The UN Security Council has passed four resolutions calling for an Armenian pullout, but they have not been enforced to date.
Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. have produced no results so far.