Armenia's Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan (right) attends a meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Yerevan on Dec 27, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

TEHRAN - Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Wednesday that his country strongly supports lasting peace in the South Caucasus region.

He made the remarks at a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan, following their meeting in the Armenian capital of Yerevan earlier in the day, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

Amir-Abdollahian said he knew thoroughly that Yerevan was serious about achieving a lasting peace with Baku and moved sincerely toward that end, adding that what his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov told him in a phone call on Tuesday went in line with rapprochement efforts.

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Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that without foreign interference and through the 3+3 format, reaching lasting peace is "doable" 

Speaking to reporters, the Iranian minister said that without foreign interference and through the 3+3 format, reaching lasting peace is "doable," and the interests of all parties could be safeguarded considerably.

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

The top Iranian diplomat noted that he had discussed the issue with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the phone two times during the past few days.

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Mirzoyan, for his part, thanked Iran for underlining Armenia's territorial integrity and its role in resolving regional challenges, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.

During the meeting, the two top diplomats also agreed to deepen bilateral ties, especially in the trade sector.

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