10:32     12 November 2023    

"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 controversial opinions of Mehdi Sobhani, Ambassador of Iran to Armenia. "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.