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Iran and Azerbaijan call relations strategic
Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Azerbaijani
counterpart Ilham Aliyev on Tuesday stressed the need to expand
bilateral relations between the two neighbors.

Aliyev, heading a high ranking delegation, arrived in Tehran on
Tuesday to attend Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit.

During a meeting between the countries’ high-ranking officials, both
presidents called Tehran-Baku relations important and strategic,
saying their countries play an important role in stabilizing the
region.

Ahmadinejad and Aliyev said that they are going to expand cooperation
in economic, security, political, cultural, and industrial areas.

Energy, transit, and bank cooperation will help the two states achieve
the desired goals, the two presidents underscored.

The presidents hoped that the ECO summit which opens today would yield
positive results that benefit the regional nations.

They also said that Western countries are seeking to transfer their
problems to Iran and Azerbaijan, insisting that Tehran and Baku should
avoid such problems through close cooperation.

Ahmadinejad said that Azerbaijan’s development will benefit the whole
region. He added that Iran is ready to share its experiences with
Azerbaijan in all areas.

Aliyev also said Iran-Azerbaijan ties can serve as a model for other
regional countries
From: Baghdasarian