Imam Khamenei’s Adviser: Armenia should withdraw occupied Azerbaijan lands

Ali Akbar Velayati, an international adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, called on Armenia to withdraw its forces from the regions it has occupied in the Republic of Azerbaijan, but emphasized that such a process should take place politically, not militarily.

In an interview with Iranian daily Kayhan, Velayati commented on the latest flare-up of armed clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Pointing to the Armenian occupation of seven cities and the four UN resolutions calling for the withdrawal of Armenians from the occupied Azeri territories and their return to the internationally accepted boundaries, Velayati said all UN Member States must obey the resolutions.

“We call on Armenia to return those occupied parts to the Republic of Azerbaijan. More than one million Azeris have been displaced after the occupation of those areas and must return home soon,” he added.

The Leader’s adviser underlined that Iran takes the same stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that it has adopted on the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.

Velayati made it clear that the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan has no military solution whatsoever, and must be resolved politically.

Iran is opposed to any military action from any side, because people would be the only loser in the war, Velayati stated.

Deploring the recent attacks on residential areas amid the Nagorno-Karabakh war, the former Iranian foreign minister said this war runs counter to the interests of people of the two countries and to regional security.

Velayati further deplored the foreign parties, such as Israel and Turkey, for fanning the flames of war, adding, “Why is Turkey insisting on the continuation of war? This country (Turkey) must help end the war if it can do so, provided that the occupied cities of the Republic of Azerbaijan be liberated definitely.”

He also said that the illegitimate Zionist regime which is founded upon the occupation of Palestine has no right to comment on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have exchanged heavy rocket and artillery fire, with each side accusing the other of targeting civilian areas as the fighting over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh intensified.

Dozens of soldiers and civilians have been killed in both countries in the new round of fighting.