Iran's FM: With war over in South Caucasus, now time ripe for promotion of peace and cooperation

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says war has come to an end in the South Caucasus region and the time is now ripe for promotion of peace, cooperation and progress in the region.

Amir-Abdollahian made the statement while addressing the second 3+3 regional platform meeting, dubbed Time for Peace, Cooperation, and Progress in the South Caucasus, in Tehran on Monday.

Pointing to a "historic opportunity" provided now for all countries in the region to boost cooperation, he said the Tehran meeting aims to utilize regional capacities to solve issues, increase collective cooperation and establish peace and achieve economic development and welfare.

The participants -- the foreign ministers of the three South Caucasus countries of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan plus Russia, Turkey, and Iran -- will have the chance to exchange views about issues in the Caucasus region and ways to improve mutual relations, he noted.

The 3+3 consultative platform was established in an attempt to resolve regional problems through the inclusion of regional countries and the exclusion of extra-regional and Western countries.

Iranian ambassador: 3+3 meeting on Caucasus aimed at boosting regional peace

Iran’s ambassador to Moscow says the meeting of the 3+3 cooperation format in Tehran is aimed at bolstering peace and stability in the Caucasus region without foreign interference.

The first 3+3 meeting was held in Moscow in December 2021 at the level of deputy foreign ministers and without the presence of Georgia.

The six foreign ministers are expected to discuss regional issues such as the dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The land-locked region has always been internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan though it is mostly populated by ethnic Armenians.

Azerbaijan won the 2020 war, regaining much of the Nagorno-Karabakh. Another battle in September left the entire territory under the control of the Baku government after months of blockade. 

Gaza developments war crime against humanity: Amir-Abdollahian

Elsewhere in his speech, Amir-Abdollahian expressed his deep grief over the humanitarian catastrophe taking place against Palestinians, particularly in Gaza.

The Iranian foreign minister said the ongoing developments in Gaza are "absolute war crime" being committed by Israel against humanity, including the massacre of Palestinian women, children and civilians.

He added that the Palestinian women and children are facing genocide by Israel as the regime is dropping bombs and blatantly violating human rights.

The top Iranian diplomat said the international community must send a strong message to the fake Israeli regime that it needs to urgently stop its war crimes against civilians, especially women and children, lift the siege on Gaza, dispatch humanitarian aid and oppose the forced displacement of people in the Strip.

He also called on the United Nations member states and regional countries to implement the UN resolutions regarding Palestinians' right to determine their own fate.

Iran FM reaffirms support for Palestine, urges immediate end to Israeli genocide

Iran reaffirms its support for Palestinians and urges an immediate end to Israel

Israel waged the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance groups launched Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise attack into the occupied territories in response to the Israeli regime’s intensified crimes against the Palestinian people.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the Israeli onslaught on Gaza has so far killed over 5,087 Palestinians, including 2,055 children and 1,119 women. More than 15,273 people have also been injured.

Joint communiqué of second meeting of 3+3 regional platform

At the end of their meeting, the six foreign ministers issued a joint communiqué, stressing the importance of developing friendly relations between countries based on mutual interests and good neighborliness.

They urged the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity, inviolability of internationally recognized borders, non-interference in internal affairs, prohibition on the threat or use of force and respect for human rights based on all the principles of the United Nations Charter.

The ministers said economic cooperation would have a positive influence on strengthening mutual trust, well-being of nations and stability of the region.

They pledged to strengthen bilateral and multilateral consultation and interaction in a bid to enhance lasting peace and economic development of the region.

The participants hailed the positive results of the Tehran meeting.

According to the communiqué, the ministers also exchanged views on the situation in Gaza and "emphasized the need for immediate termination of targeting innocent civilians."

"With an assessment of the regular meetings of the '3+3' regional platform in expanding and strengthening the environment of trust and cooperation in the region, they agreed that the next meeting will be held in the Republic of Turkey on a date that will be coordinated through diplomatic channels," it said.

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