Khamenei’s Advisor: Armenia occupies Azerbaijani territory and must withdraw
SANAA, Oct. 6 (YPA) – Ali Akbar Velayati, a top advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that Armenia has occupied parts of Azerbaijan’s territory and must withdraw from those areas. He stressed that “this goal cannot be achieved militarily, RT reported.
“Armenia has occupied parts of Azerbaijani territory and has to leave and return to the international border, Ali Akbar Velayati said, adding that Armenia should evacuate the Azerbaijani areas it has occupied, but this cannot be done by military means.”
He noted that more than 1 million Azerbaijanis had become refugees as a result of the occupation of their areas by Armenia.
Ali Akbar Velayati Continued: “Our position on Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territory is like our position on the occupation of Palestinian territories by the Zionist entity.”
“Armenia, along with Nagorno-Karabakh, occupies seven Azerbaijani regions and has to withdraw from them in accordance with international resolutions,” he said, stressing that “there is no military solution to the conflict. The solution must go through political means, so we are opposed to any military action by either side.”
The Iranian official considered that the war in Nagorno-Karabakh was contrary to the interests of the Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples and endangered the security of the region.
“Israel and Turkey are interfering in the war in Nagorno-Karabakh and instigating it,” he said, stressing that the Israeli side has no right to be in the area or to express its view of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
“We recommend that our friends in Turkey contribute to the liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani territories instead of pouring gasoline on the fires of the conflict. We call on Turkey to help, along with the countries of the region, to protect the oppressed in Azerbaijan and liberate their lands.”
He stressed that “Turkey must not allow the bloodshed to be the equivalent of the liberation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan”, and that “France also has no right to intervene in this conflict”.
Velayati also stressed that Iran has no interest in a war between its neighbors Azerbaijan and Armenia, noting that “Muslims and Christians in both countries should live in full security and stability”.
E.M