Azerbaijan, Iran agree to continue negotiations on existing problems in mutual relationship

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held on June 8 a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

Caliber.Az reports, quoting the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, that during the phone talk, the ministers discussed the current state of relations between Azerbaijan and Iran, as well as some existing problems and issues in the mutual relationship.

The sides expressed readiness to continue negotiations and mutual contacts between the relevant structures of the two countries.

Earlier, Minister Bayramov said Iran has sent an appeal to restore the work of the Azerbaijani diplomatic mission in Tehran.

“We have received several appeals from the Iranian side in connection with the resumption of the activities of our diplomatic mission,” APA quoted Bayramov as saying on June 5.

However, of course, these issues are interrelated, and the Azerbaijani side should be absolutely sure that criminals and orderers will be brought to justice and severely punished. All relevant guarantees should be provided to the Azerbaijani side not in words, but in deeds."

According to Bayramov, Baku has expectations regarding the investigation of the terrorist attack committed against the Azerbaijani embassy in Iran in January 2023.

He added the Iranian side said the investigation of the criminal case is ongoing and it is too early to talk about specific results.

On January 27, an Iranian national carried out an armed attack on the Azerbaijan embassy in Tehran, killing an Azerbaijani security officer and injuring two others.

The gunman, identified as Yasin Hosseinzadeh, was armed with a Kalashnikov rifle when he broke into the embassy building and killed the Azerbaijani officer. He was eventually stopped by the embassy’s security staff after a violent scuffle.

Iran said the attack stemmed from personal reasons, but Baku sees it as an act of terrorism.

Diplomatic activities at the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran were completely suspended following the incident. However, a few employees remained in the Iranian capital to safeguard the embassy building and properties.

On May 5, Iran declared four Azerbaijani diplomats persona non-grata, including two staff members of the embassy in Tehran and two employees of the consulate in Tabriz. According to Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada, the Iranian decision was a tit-for-tat response to the analogical measure taken by Baku in April this year.

Azerbaijani authorities declared on April 6 four employees of the embassy of the Islamic Republic to Baku Mirmahdi Mirsalampur Sherif, Gurbanali Purmerjan Varjovi, Hadi Moghadam, and Asker Bahari Khosh Menzer persona non grata and gave them 48 hours to leave.