Growing Dynamism in Trade Ties Between Tehran, Baku Hailed

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Wednesday applauded the growing dynamism in the development of economic and trade relations between Iran and Azerbaijan. 
He made the remarks in a meeting with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement in Baku. 
The two officials discussed mutual relations, as well as important regional and international issues, IRNA reported. 
Amir-Abdollahian delivered the greetings of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Aliyev, who mutually offered his salutation. 
He later highlighted the two neighboring countries’ significant role in the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor, a multi-mode network of ship, rail and road routes for moving freight between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
Aliyev said the positive dynamism in Tehran-Baku relations is a source of delight for the Azerbaijani government as well, adding that the development of the INSC and other transit routes within the East Zangezur Economic Region is a favorable event. 
He hoped more bilateral meetings would be held between the authorities of the two countries in the near future. 
The Iranian top diplomat also briefed the Azerbaijani president about the latest judicial and police investigations into the attack on Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tehran, hoping that the diplomatic office would resume its operation soon. 
On 27 January, an armed man opened fire inside Azerbaijan’s embassy, killing the head of the security service and injuring two other guards. 
While Iran’s law enforcement agencies stated that the attack was committed on personal grounds, the Azerbaijani side regarded the incident as a “terrorist act”, and announced evacuation of the embassy personnel in Tehran.
Aliyev expressed hope that the perpetrator of the attack would receive appropriate sentence in Iran. 

Unique Opportunity 

Amir-Abdollahian arrived in the Azerbaijani capital on Tuesday to take part in the NAM Ministerial Meeting on 5-6 July.
“Given the diversity of its member states, the Non-Aligned Movement lends a unique opportunity for enhancing multilateralism as well as collective thinking for tackling new global challenges,” he said in a Twitter post upon arrival. 
He added that his visit to the Azerbaijani capital would also provide an opportunity to further promote Iran’s policy of good neighborliness across the region.
With its main theme “NAM: United and steadfast in confronting emerging challenges,” the meeting opened in early Wednesday with the inaugural speech by the Azerbaijani president. 
The meeting is expected to consider preparations for the upcoming 19th Summit Conference of the NAM Heads of State and Government, slated to be held in Kampala, Uganda, on January 15-20, 2024.
The Iranian foreign minister was scheduled to deliver a speech at the Baku meeting and also attend the NAM Ministerial Committee on Palestine.
He was also set to meet his counterparts and deputy foreign ministers from participating countries, including Palestine, Syria, Uzbekistan, Uganda, Turkey, Somalia, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Tunisia, South Africa, India and Azerbaijan. 
NAM is a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide.