Zarif Hails Tehran-Baku Political Relations

In the Tuesday meeting with Asadov in Tehran, Zarif hailed the high level of political relations between Iran and Azerbaijan.

The Iranian diplomatic chief also attached great importance to parliamentary relations between the two countries.

The top diplomat described the political relations between Iran and Azerbaijan as being at the highest level possible due to the willingness of the leaders of the two countries, adding that "despite an increase of 40 percent in economic and trade relations between the two countries this year, these relations are at a lower level than the political relations”.

The Iranian foreign minister further expressed hope that through the implementation of joint projects and the use of the capacity of the transport corridors between the two countries, Tehran and Baku would further advance the relations in the economic and commercial fields.

Asadov, for his part, said that the two countries share many significant historical, cultural and geographical commonalities.

The Azeri top lawmaker also pointed to the North-South Corridor project, which passes through Iran and Azerbaijan and can benefit both much, stressing the need for accelerating its implementation.

Heading a high-ranking delegation, Asadov met with President Hassan Rouhani and his counterpart Ali Larijani earlier on Tuesday. He also met with Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani before his meeting with Zarif.

In these meetings, the officials discussed a host of issues including the development prospects of bilateral cooperation, as well as security issues.

In relevant remarks in late March, President Hassan Rouhani underlined that expansion of mutual cooperation between Tehran and Baku would not be harmful to any third party state.

"I am delighted that with the extensive efforts of senior officials from both countries, we are witnessing the good results of our joint cooperation today; cooperation which benefits not only the two nations, but the whole region," Rouhani said.

The Iranian president pointed to the North-South Transit Route, and said, "This corridor which is contributed to by both countries of Iran and Azerbaijan by putting into practice the Rasht-Astara railway project, acts as a more convenient, cheaper and shorter route for the two the countries of Iran and Azerbaijan, the countries of the region, and even for Asia, Europe and Africa."

"It means that our cooperation is in the interests of the people of the region and the whole world,” President Rouhani added.

He also referred the establishment of free trade between the two countries as a step in the direction of high mobility in economic relations between the two countries, and said, "First, we can start the free trade program with setting preferential tariff for some goods, and this move can affect the volume of trade between the two countries."