Iran calls for closer ties

Baku Sun: Azerbaijan
Dec 24 2004

BAKU (AP) – Iran’s defense minister on Wednesday called for closer
military ties between his country and Azerbaijan.

Ali Shamkhani’s visit to neighboring Azerbaijan is the second in
less than a week by a top Iranian security official. Last week,
Iran’s Minister for Intelligence Ali Yunesi met with Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliev, announcing that the two neighboring countries
were working together on security.

“Azerbaijan’s security is our security. Our defense capability is your
defense capability,” Shamkhani told his Azerbaijani counterpart, Safar
Abiyev. “We have all possibilities for broadening our relations. A
statement released by Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said the two
ministers exchanged opinions on a wide range of issues concerning
the development of military ties.

Abiyev said Iran should help to resolve the dispute surrounding the
Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, whose status sparked a war between Armenia
and Azerbaijan in the 1990s. The two Caucasus countries continue to
have tense relations.

Shamkhani was also expected to meet with Aliev and other top Azeri
officials.

Earlier this month, several top Iranian diplomats as well as Iran’s
health and environment ministers made official visits to Azerbaijan.