Iran has prepared a proposal for what it called a “permanent” settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the country’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif announced Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Javad Zarif told state television that his deputy, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, will visit Baku and Yerevan in the coming days to present the plan to Azerbaijani and Armenian authorities.

“Right now the Deputy Foreign Minister is near the border of Iran with Armenia, Azerbaijan, he is touring at the Khoda Afrin dam, after which he will leave for Baku, Moscow and Yerevan. Iran has developed an initiative for a lasting settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which will be presented today or tomorrow,’’ the state IRNA news agency quoted Zarif as saying.

Zarif added that Iran is concerned with the presence of takfiri terrorists and other terrorists in the region. ”In this regard we have clearly stated that this is inadmissible for the Islamic Republic of Iran,’’ he said.

The Commander of the Iranian Army Major-General Abdolrahim Mousavi has vowed “strict punishment” to the “takfir-terrorists” near Iran’s borders, local news media reported.

Mousavi made the comments after visiting the Iranian air defense troops and inspecting the readiness level of the units at the north-western borders.

Mousavi stressed the need to ensure the safety of residents in the border towns. He said the air defense units are on high alert in the north-western part of Iran and the units will be increased is required.

This announcement comes hours after Azerbaijani forces attacked Armenia’s border positions in the south on the border with Iran. For weeks, Azerbaijani forces have been attacking the Khoda Afrin Dam, which lies on the Artsakh-Iran border along the Arax River.