Pezeshkian and Aliyev meet on sidelines of SCO summit

Tehran, IRNA – President Masoud Pezeshkian says lasting security and stability in the region could be achieved through cooperation and dialogue among regional countries and by relying on their domestic and regional capacities.

Pezeshkian made the remarks during a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan on Monday, where the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and ways to expand and deepen cooperation between Tehran and Baku.

Pezeshkian said Iran would withstand external pressure, sanctions and economic restrictions by relying on its domestic capabilities and strengthening regional cooperation. He said Iran would not allow the will of nations to be influenced by pressure from major powers.

The Iranian president stressed the need for regional countries to work together to establish and consolidate peace and stability, saying sustainable security could be achieved through dialogue and cooperation among neighboring states rather than external intervention.

Aliyev, meanwhile, expressed Azerbaijan’s support for the Iranian people and stressed the importance of strengthening friendly relations between the two countries.

He said Baku attached particular importance to its relations with Tehran and viewed the expansion of bilateral ties as serving the common interests of the two nations.

Aliyev also said Azerbaijan was ready to expand bilateral cooperation in trade and economic fields. He called for making greater use of existing capacities and creating new opportunities to increase interaction between the two countries.

The two presidents agreed on the need to continue constructive consultations and dialogue, strengthen bilateral cooperation, and use existing capacities to further develop relations between Tehran and Baku.