President Ahmadinejad receives Azeri DM

Tehran-Baku relations are deep-rooted and brotherly, IRI President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said Monday in a meeting with visiting Azeri defense minister, adding, “These relations would never be affected by events occurring in certain time junctures.” “The Islamic Republic of Iran always supports the independence, grandeur, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” President Ahmadinejad told General Safar Abiyev. “Ever since remote past the relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Azerbaijan have always been intimate and brotherly and there has never been any problem in our nations’ bilateral ties,” he added. The president emphasized that care should be taken not to let the enemies and the satins to influence the two countries’ relations, adding, “The enemies are opposed to the expansion of Tehran-Baku relations; of course there are unreal problems which can be solved, after which the level of bilateral relations can be improved.” Ahmadinejad added, “Today the shared enemies of our countries wish there were neither any Iran, nor any Azerbaijan on the world map, because they have always been merely after securing only their own interests so that they would thus exert their hegemony over both Iran and Azerbaijan.” “We are certain that no threat would ever be imposed against Iran from the side of our friendly and brother country of Azerbaijan and I assure you that Tehran-Baku relations would never be damaged, because the Islamic Republic of Iran always considers the advancement and grandeur of the Republic of Azerbaijan as its own advancement, and this is not a matter to be easily destroyed,” The president pointed out. Emphasizing that the political and economic relations between Iran and Azerbaijan have always been regulated based on the negotiations between the two countries’ top officials, reiterating, “These relations would definitely never be influenced by the intrigues of any person, group, or media.” Ahmadinejad then referred to the constructive negotiations between the defense ministers of the two countries, arguing, “Efforts must be made so that these relations would expand more than ever before, because the expansion of Tehran-Baku relations would in addition to our two countries’ benefit, secure the interests of the entire regional countries.” He also congratulated the Norouz New Year (on March 20th) to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. General Safar Abiyev, for his part, expressed delight over having the chance to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran personally, asking for expansion of the level of bilateral cooperation.

General Abiyev pointed out that Tehran Azerbaijan relations are both deep-rooted and expanding, emphasizing, “No country in the world can harm the intimate relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan.” “The Republic of Azerbaijan, like always in the past, will never permit any country to take advantage of its land, or air, against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which we consider our brother and friend country,” he added