Iran and Russia denounced today the interventions of Europe and the USA in the crisis between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which has been exacerbated again after Baku’s recent military intervention in the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.

The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan met today in Tehran in an attempt to find a solution to the Caucasus crisis without the involvement of the West.

“The problems of the region cannot be solved by the intervention of foreign powers,” said Iranian President Ebrahim Raishi, according to the press office of the presidency. “The presence of foreigners in the region not only does not solve the problems but complicates the situationForeign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also assured.

After the talks concluded, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denounced “the attempts, firstly by the EU and secondly by the US, to get involved in the determination process» of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In their final announcement, the participants in the summit recalled that it is important “to resolve disputes peacefully, to respect the national sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity” of the countries and that there should be no “interference in their internal affairs”.

Lavrov, who also had a separate meeting with President Raisi, also assured that “the door remains open” for another country in the region, Georgia, which was absent from today’s meeting.

The next session will be held in Turkey “around the first half of next year“, he added.

After the blitzkrieg operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia fears that Azerbaijan, a country richer, with a better army and with the support of Turkey, will seek to forcibly unite its other enclave, that of Nakhchivan, with its territory , launching an attack on southern Armenia. Earlier today, the Azeri defense minister announced joint military exercises with Turkey in Nakhchivan and the “liberated territories”, without specifying whether he meant Nagorno-Karabakh. Up to 3,000 soldiers from each country, dozens of tanks, artillery and about 20 aircraft will participate in these gymnasiums.

French aid to Armenia

France, on the other hand, announced that it had reached an agreement with Armenia for the sale of military equipment that will strengthen its air defenses.

This contract concerns Yerevan’s purchase of three Thalès Ground Master (GM2000) radars, French Minister of Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornou said. It also signed a letter of intent with the European company MBDA to buy short-range “Mistral-type” surface-to-air missiles, the French minister added.