ArmInfo. Official Baku has shown a strong reaction to the opinion Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani voiced during his interview with CivilNet.
"We strongly condemn baseless and provocative opinions voiced by Mehdi Sobhani, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Republic of Armenia during his interview to Armenian CivilNet platform on November 10, 2023," said Spokesperson for Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aykhan Hajizada as he commented on the opinion Mr Sobhani voiced during that interview.
"These opinions, which undermine the relations between Azerbaijan and Iran which are based on mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty, contradict the position expressed by the Iranian President during the meeting between the two countries on November 9, 2023, in Tashkent. During the aforementioned meeting, Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, mentioned with pleasure that Azerbaijan ensured its territorial integrity after many years and Garabagh returned to Azerbaijan.
"Against the backdrop of the remarks of the President of Iran, as well as recent positive dynamics in the development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Iran, we consider the position of the Iranian Ambassador against our territorial integrity and sovereignty as a provocation.
"We expect Iran to prevent such steps, which are inappropriate to the spirit of our relations, as well as to take necessary steps regarding the opinions voiced by the Ambassador," the ministry added.
Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani in an interview with Civilnet spoke about the need to preserve the rights of the people of Artsakh.
"What is the official stance of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the last invasion of Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh and the rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh?
"See, the official stance of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding Nagorno-Karabakh has been announced before; We recognize the territorial integrity of both Armenia and Azerbaijan in accordance with international and UN law, but this does not mean that the rights of those people who are there should be violated. We believe that the rights of the people of Karabakh, the rights of each of the people of Karabakh should be ensured, they should be able to determine their rights, to have the right of self-determination. This is a reality that no one, including Azerbaijan, can ignore.
"When the Karabakh crisis happenned and displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh entered the soil of Armenia, a group of displaced people were in Kapan, I went and met them, and when I talked to them asked them why they left there, and they said they didn't feel safe for their lives. A country that considers others its citizens must provide such conditions for those citizens and those people so that they feel safe and do not leave their territory, or soil, or homes. Their request was that the international assemblies help so that they return to their homes and their rights be provided. And we advocate provision of the legal and legitimate rights of the inhabitants of Karabakh."
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