At a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi underscored that any change in the international borders of the region is unacceptable to Iran, the Iranian media reported.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Iran's president emphasized that Tehran is against paternalism, stating, "The basis of our policy in the region is that the future of the countries is determined by them, and their national sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected".

Citing examples of Iran's support for friends and neighbors during different crises, Raisi said that Iran is a friend of its neighbors.

Referring to the developments in the Caucasus, the Iranian president welcomed the "liberation" of Karabakh and preparations for its restoration. At the same time, he rejected any change in the international, historical and geopolitical borders of the region as unacceptable.