President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday Iran and Azerbaijan are seriously resolved to boost mutual cooperation.
“There is good potential in the fields of energy, gas and oil, business, environment, and tourism that makes it necessary for the joint committees in the two countries to play a more active part in this regard,” he said in a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Astrakhan on the sidelines of the summit of the Caspian Sea littoral states, the Mehr news agency reported. He touched on good relations between the two states and said, “The security and development of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan are closely intertwined and we should not allow others to interfere in our cordial relations.”
Rouhani also called for the promotion of mutual cooperation on regional and international issues, adding it is necessary that Tehran and Baku take closer positions vis-à-vis international affairs.
Aliyev, for his part, touched on the interrelated security of both countries and said, “The nation and government in Azerbaijan are willing to enhance cooperation with Iran in various spheres.”
He also praised the Iranians’ achievements in various areas, inter alia, the production of pharmaceuticals, and called on Iranian corporations to cooperate with Azerbaijani companies.
Putin Welcomes Rouhani
Rouhani was officially welcomed by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin upon arrival in the Russian port city of Astrakhan where the Caspian Sea summit was held.
Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan are the five littoral states of the Caspian Sea.
During his two-day visit, President Rouhani delivered a speech at the Caspian Sea summit, signed cooperation agreements on the sea, and held talks with leaders of the Caspian Sea littoral states, including Vladimir Putin.
