Leader’s Aide Calls on Armenia to Return Occupied Lands to Azerbaijan Based on UN Resolutions

“The United Nations has passed 4 resolutions on Karabakh which all require Armenia to leave the occupied regions in Azerbaijan and return to the international borders,” Velayati said on Tuesday.

“The ongoing war between Iran’s two neighboring countries of Azerbaijan Republic and Armenia, and some ensuing developments, including the intrusion of the Zionist regime, Turkey and Takfiri terrorist groups into this war, and the occasional firing of bullets and mortars into Iranian soil are among the issues of concern that must stop immediately,” he added.

“We respect the territorial integrity of all nations, which is one of the principles of the UN Charter, the official noted, adding, “As a member of the United Nations, we insist on this principle, especially since these two countries are our Northern neighbors.”

“In this case, one country’s territory is occupied by another country. Parts of the South of the Republic of Azerbaijan, some 7 cities, are occupied by Armenia,” the Supreme Leader’s top advisor said.

“All of us, as members of the UN, must live up to these principles,” he stated, adding, “So we want Armenia to return these occupied parts to the Azerbaijan Republic.”

“More than 1 million Azeris who have been displaced by the occupation of these regions must return to their homeland soon. Just as we oppose the occupation of Palestine by the Zionist regime, we have a similar position here,” Velayati highlighted.

“There is no military solution to this issue, and it must be resolved politically. Therefore, we oppose any military action by anyone; because the losers of this war are the people, especially since the residential areas have recently been bombed,” he added.

“This war is against the interests of the people of the two countries, as well as the regional security. Some bystanders are also escalating tensions, such as the Zionist regime and Turkey,” the official continued.

“If Turkey can, it should help end the war, provided that the occupied cities are returned to the Republic of Azerbaijan,” Velayati stressed, adding, “The Zionist regime itself is illegitimate and is based on the occupation of other territories, namely Palestine, and it has no right to comment on these matters at all. This regime does nothing but inciting sedition in this region.”

“We are neighbors of both Armenia and Azerbaijan Republic. It is in our interest that these neighbors do not fight with each other. Armenia is our neighbor and we have a lot of religious, historical and cultural commonalities with the Republic of Azerbaijan,” he said.

“We are fully concerned over the fate of Azerbaijan and believe that its territorial integrity must be preserved and its occupied territories evacuated,” Velayati underscored.

“We are neighbors with Armenia and have a long common history in the neighborhood. We do not want neither Armenians nor Azeris to be killed. Both Muslims and Christians must be completely safe,” he said.

“The Islamic Republic will not spare any help for mediation and peace between these two neighboring nations,” the Supreme Leader’s top advisor continued.

Pointing to the French interference in the issue, he said, “We will not allow the region to be insecure and countries from other parts of the world to come and endanger the security of Northern Iran in the South Caucasus. We will definitely stand against the insecurities that they create.”

“We strongly believe that peace will be set up in line with in the interests of both countries,” Velayati said.

He also referred to some news on the entry of Takfiri terrorist groups in the conflict, saying, “We hope that the news of the coming of Takfiri terrorists in this area is not true. If so, all those who instigated this event are responsible for letting al-Qaeda and ISIL extremists enter this sensitive region.”

“Undoubtedly, the Islamic Republic of Iran will strongly defend its security and borders,” Velayati concluded.

Also, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has voiced concern over the escalation of the clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and stressed the need for rigid efforts to end the clashes between the two warring nations.

“Azerbaijan Republic and Armenia should stop conflict,” Qalibaf said in a phone conversation with Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin on Monday, and called on the two sides to settle tension through negotiations.

Volodin, for his part, also said that the conflict should be resolved peacefully through negotiations.

Meantime, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh earlier on Monday warned Azerbaijan and Armenia against violating Iranian borders, describing it as Tehran’s redline.

“Both warring sides should take heed that the Islamic Republic cannot tolerate clashes on its borders and aggression on its soil,” Khatibzadeh said, noting that Baku and Yerevan should observe Iran’s redline.   

“Since the start of the conflict, Iran has told both parties that there will be no military solution for the decades-long dispute,” Khatibzadeh said on Monday, and added, “We emphasize that military conflict should stop quickly to start comprehensive political dialogue.”

He further said Iran has prepared a plan after consultations with both warring sides to end the Armenia-Azerbaijan war.

Battles between Armenian and Azerbaijan forces over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh still continue.

Iran has time and again invited the two neighboring nations to avoid tensions and adhere to self-restraint to resolve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, stressing the need for regional peace.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on his Azeri and Armenian counterparts to refrain from military solutions as tensions have risen between the two countries over Nagorno-Karabakh region.

During phone conversations with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Azeri Foreign Minister Jeyhoun Bayramov, Zarif voiced concern over the situation and called on both sides to declare ceasefire and end hostilities.

He called for negotiations according to the international law and expressed Iran’s readiness to use all its capacities to help settle disputes.