Zarif invites Azerbaijan, Armenia to exercise self-restraint

Following military conflict between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Zarif during phone talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Azeri Foreign Minister Jeyhoun Bayramov expressed concern over the situation and called on both sides to exercise self-restraint, declare ceasefire, and end hostilities immediately.

He urged them to start negotiations within the framework of international law.

Zari also voiced Iran's readiness to use all its capacities to establish a ceasefire, start talks, and help establish peace and tranquility.

Earlier on Sunday, Zarif in a Twitter message said Iran is closely monitoring the alarming violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, adding that "our region needs peace".

"Iran is closely monitoring the alarming violence in Nagorno-Karabakh," Zarif wrote in his Twitter account.

"We call for an immediate end to hostilities and urge dialogue to resolve differences," he added.

"Our neighbors are our priority and we are ready to provide good offices to enable talks," Zarif noted.

"Our region needs peace now," he reiterated.

Earlier,  Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh called on the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia to put an end to their clashes and launch a dialogue between the two states.

Khatibzadeh voiced Iran’s readiness to utilize all of its capacities to help establish a ceasefire and mediate between the two countries to help them kick off negotiations.

Conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region began following the breakdown of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and lasted till approximately 1994, with both Armenia and Azerbaijan claiming this strategic territory. At that time, the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh had held a referendum boycotted by Azerbaijan where the people chose independence over joining either of the two countries.

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