President Aliyev slams disinformation campaigns targeting Azerbaijan-Iran ties PHOTO

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has denounced attempts by certain circles and media representatives to spread false narratives aimed at damaging Azerbaijan-Iran relations amid the recent Iran-Israel tensions.

Aliyev made the remarks on June 28 during a meeting with the newly appointed Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Azerbaijan, Mojtaba Demirchilou, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

President Aliyev expressed strong concern over what he described as "rumours and disinformation" being circulated by external actors seeking to undermine the trust between Baku and Tehran.

The president recalled with satisfaction his recent phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, as well as the discussions held during President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Azerbaijan. He noted that this visit opened a new chapter in the development of relations between the two countries.

President Aliyev emphasised that the statements and views expressed by Masoud Pezeshkian during his visit to Azerbaijan were received very positively by the Azerbaijani public.

Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to express its position regarding the confrontation between Iran and Israel, condemning the escalation. He once again offered condolences over the Iranian citizens who lost their lives during the confrontation. President Aliyev stated that certain circles and media representatives have been spreading rumours and false information aimed at undermining Azerbaijan-Iran relations in connection with the Iran-Israel tensions, stressing that all such claims are complete nonsense.

Mojtaba Demirchilou underlined that the supreme leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran also attaches particular importance to the development of relations with Azerbaijan.

The ambassador highlighted that relations between Iran and Azerbaijan are based on friendship, neighbourliness, and brotherhood. He noted that Azerbaijan's principled and resolute stance on the Iran-Israel confrontation was highly appreciated in Iran and expressed gratitude in this regard. The ambassador also affirmed that Iran is fully confident Azerbaijan's territory will never be used against Iran, and that the Azerbaijani state would never allow such a thing to happen.

The diplomat also expressed his appreciation for the conditions created for the passage of foreign and Iranian citizens into Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, the sides held a broad exchange of views on the prospects for developing bilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran in political, economic, trade, cultural, humanitarian, and other fields. They discussed the development of the North-South Transport Corridor, the construction of a road bridge over the Araz River connecting the Aghband and Kalaleh checkpoints, and the overall development of the Araz transport corridor.

By Vugar Khalilov