Caucasus Muslims Board strongly condemns Iran FM's remarks made in Armenia

The Caucasus Muslim Board has condemned Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian's recent threatening remarks made in Armenia's Gafan.

The Board made the remarks in a statement with regard to Iran's threats and statements, in particular, in connection with military exercises conducted along the border with Azerbaijan, APA reports.

"The Board of Muslims of the Caucasus strongly condemns the statement made by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdullahian at the opening ceremony of the Consulate General in Gafan and we urge him to take back his words," the statement says.

It stressed that Iran's readiness to open the Armenian Consulate General in Tabriz is a stab in the back.

"The conduct of military exercises by Iran on the Azerbaijani border at a time when new realities reign in the region in the post-conflict period is clearly perceived negatively by Azerbaijani society," the Board said.

The statement noted that Azerbaijan is an integral part of the Islamic world, an Islamic land, and thousands of Azerbaijani Muslims have become martyrs, liberating these lands.

"Iran called these martyrs the martyrs of Islam. Is it appropriate for a Muslim country to justify those involved in the deaths of those who sacrificed their lives along the way? If Iran promises weapons and military assistance to the side threatening its Muslim brother, whose hands are stained with the blood of Muslims, equates Armenia's security with Iran's security, then this is a practical step towards encouraging Armenia to war, entrenching revanchism, and poses a direct threat to the state interests of Azerbaijan, our people. If Iran, voicing threats in connection with the corridor that will pass through the historical Azerbaijani land of Zangazur, opens a consulate in Gafan at this difficult time, declares its readiness to open the Consulate General of Armenia in the ancient Azerbaijani city of Tabriz, then this cannot be regarded as a friendly, fraternal step. This does not correspond to Islamic ideology, it is a Muslim's stab in the back to his Muslim brother," the statement emphasised.

The statement added that "the comprehensive support of Muslim Iran for Armenia, which is pursuing an occupation policy against Azerbaijan, is condemned by Muslims, our people", according to Report.

It noted that the religious factor is of particular importance among the historical and spiritual values linking Iran and Azerbaijan.

This reality should serve to further bring peoples closer together... Unfortunately, until the Karabakh problem was solved by Azerbaijan and after historical justice prevailed, the attitude of the Iranian state towards Armenia was patronising. Unlike Muslim countries, which for many years, speaking from the position of Islamic solidarity as true friends and brothers, did not establish political, or diplomatic relations with the aggressor country, did not open embassies, made statements in international organisations condemning the occupation, Iran further deepened cooperation with Armenia, ignored relevant decisions and resolutions adopted within the framework of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, of which it is a member," the statement said.