Wreck of abandoned vehicles are seen on the side of the road on the outskirts of the city of Stepanakert, in Azerbaijan's controlled region of Nagorno-Karabakh, on Oct 2, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

TEHRAN - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday voiced the country's readiness to help ensure peace and stability in the Caucasus region and resolve differences between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Raisi made the remarks in separate meetings in Tehran with Secretary of Armenia's Security Council Armen Grigoryan and Khalaf Khalafov, Azerbaijani president's representative on special assignments, according to the statements from the Iranian President's Office.

In his meeting with Grigoryan, Raisi voiced Iran's opposition to foreign interference in the Caucasus region and stressed Tehran's position that the differences between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be resolved through dialogue.

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Raisi also called for safeguarding the rights and security of ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, conveying Tehran's readiness to collaborate in ensuring peace, stability, and security in the Caucasus region.

For his part, the Armenian official thanked Iran for its support in emphasizing the importance of respecting the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in the region.

The 3+3 format brings together the three Caucasian states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, as well as its three neighbors, Iran, Russia, and Türkiye

In his meeting with Khalafov, Raisi emphasized the importance of preserving the region's borders and geopolitical status quo, expressing Iran's willingness to support regional discussions in the 3+3 format or any other suitable framework aimed at resolving issues and addressing tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

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Regional countries are capable of addressing the region's issues, said the Iranian president, adding that none of the regional states would gain "from the presence of foreign countries under any circumstances."

Khalafov said Azerbaijan deeply believes that regional issues should be resolved through cooperation and dialogue among the region's countries without letting transregional states in.

He added Baku welcomes any dialogue, particularly within the 3+3 format, to enhance regional cooperation and address the region's problems.

The 3+3 format brings together the three Caucasian states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, as well as its three neighbors, Iran, Russia, and Türkiye.

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Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at loggerheads over the mountainous region since 1988. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a cease-fire was agreed on. But there have been sporadic minor clashes since then.

A new round of major armed conflict broke out along the contact line in September 2020, before Russia brokered a new cease-fire agreement in November 2020. The latest escalation occurred on Sept 19, 2023, followed by a Russian-brokered cease-fire the next day.