'Azerbaijan, Iran must eliminate all barriers'

If Iran takes steps to eliminate the problems between the two countries, it will see an adequate response from Azerbaijan, Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Novruz Mammadov told Trend today.

"Azerbaijan and Iran must eliminate all barriers," he said. "If Iran takes a step in this direction, certainly, Azerbaijan may adequately response."

"The relations between the two countries have a long history," he said. "There is great similarity in religion, language, culture and mentality."

"Using this, we must further strengthen our friendship and good neighborliness," he added. "Unfortunately, the Iranian side prevents this. I think that there is no alternative to our friendship, our neighborhood and cooperation."

"Certain circles in Iran think that by creating tension in the relations with Azerbaijan they will realize their certain affairs and intentions," Novruzov said.

"Unfortunately, Iran first started and continued the processes that occurred before the Azerbaijani Consulate General in Tabriz and Istanbul," he said. "The Azerbaijani society sees these processes and responds to them. This is natural because one can suffer this once, twice. But it is wrong when religious or military representatives, other circles make different statements. However, I would like to stress that this will never benefit anyone, including Iran."

"Azerbaijan attaches great importance to good-neighborly, friendly relations and close cooperation with Iran.

"Until now, no force could hinder the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran," he said. "These ties always developed well. Unfortunately, Iran has recently started disseminating anti-Azerbaijani information, full of slander and lie. Of course, various statements related to religion, insulting the Azerbaijani people, distorting history and filling it with false facts have an impact on the society and cause tension between the two countries."

"This process may have different causes, but none of them is related to Azerbaijan," he added.

"Most of these reasons have been related to Iran's internal situation, its foreign policy, position in the region and the world," he added.

Recently, the Azerbaijani-Iranian relations have deteriorated.

It all started with rumors that a group of foreigners was going to organize a gay parade in Baku during Eurovision. This was followed by a wave of anti-Azerbaijani statements in neighboring Iran, with calls to ban the parade and not to hold the contest, which allegedly contradicts Islamic values.

Despite the fact that Baku has repeatedly stated that it will not allow the holding of such event in Baku, the anti-Azerbaijani campaign in Iran has not stopped, protest rallies were held in front of the consulate of Azerbaijan in Tabriz.

In response similar actions to stop anti-Azerbaijani campaign were held in Baku in front of the Iranian diplomatic mission.

The situation further exacerbated after two Azerbaijani citizens got lost in Iran. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has already sent three notes to Iran's Foreign Ministry demanding to clarify the situation with the missing compatriots.

Novruz Mammadov'statement can also be followed on his personal Twitter page at www.twitter.com / NovruzMammadov


/Trend/