Baku: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Friday reaffirmed his country's readiness to provide support in de-escalating growing tensions between Iran and the US amid talks with Tehran's top defense official. A statement by Azerbaijan's presidency said Aliyev reaffirmed Baku's position as he met a delegation from Tehran led by Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, recalling that he mentioned this during a recent phone call with his counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in which he also conveyed his country's concern about the current regional situation.
According to Anadolu Agency, Aliyev highlighted his previous conversation with Pezeshkian on January 21, noting that high-level contacts between the two countries in various formats provide excellent opportunities to discuss issues on their agenda. The statement emphasized the success of President Masoud Pezeshkian's official visit to Azerbaijan last year, which yielded positive results and further developed the relations between the two nations.
The statement further noted that while conflicts continue in many parts of the world today, peace has already been established in the South Caucasus. Aliyev expressed confidence that this peace holds great importance for Iran, which borders both Azerbaijan and Armenia, stating, "We want peace throughout the world, no bloodshed, no wars," and citing Azerbaijan as an example of a successful transition from war to peace.
For his part, Nasirzadeh conveyed greetings from the Iranian president and indicated that he came to Baku on Pezeshkian's instructions, who "holds great affection for Azerbaijan." During their conversation, they discussed the development of bilateral relations based on principles of friendship, brotherhood, and good-neighborliness between the two countries and exchanged views on prospects for defense cooperation.
The meeting between Aliyev and Nasirzadeh coincides with the start of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US in Muscat, amid rising tensions fueled by an American military buildup in the Persian Gulf and repeated threats of military action by US President Donald Trump. In recent days, several countries have offered to mediate between Tehran and Washington to ease tensions, with Trkiye playing a particularly active role. The US and its ally Israel accuse Iran of seeking to produce nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes, including electricity generation.