BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 23

Trend:

Azerbaijan believes and expects Iran's Islamic Consultative Assembly to adopt soon an appropriate resolution on the official recognition of Azerbaijan's Khojaly genocide, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Iran Ali Alizade told Trend at a press conference in Tehran.

According to him, at different times, Iranian deputies, as well as the Iran-Azerbaijan friendship group made statements condemning the Khojaly genocide by calling it a crime against humanity.

The ambassador noted that during the 30-year illegal occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia, Iran has always supported the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

"Moreover, during the 44-day second Karabakh war, the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the government of Iran issued statements expressing support for the territorial unity of Azerbaijan," he said.

During the first Karabakh war, on Feb. 25-26, 1992, the Armenian Armed Forces, supported by the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops, stationed in Khankendi city, committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly.

As many as 613 civil residents, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 old people were killed in the massacre, 1,000 people were injured, and 1,275 were taken, hostage.