Russia, Iran call for resolving Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Sep 2022 12:09
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Iran expresses its readiness to provide any assistance needed to resolve the disagreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan amid the armed conflict.

A total of 49 Armenian soldiers were killed as a result of shelling on the border with Azerbaijan (Getty Images)

Russia has called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to refrain from further escalating the situation on the border and comply with the ceasefire, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Tuesday.

"We call on the parties to refrain from further escalation of the situation, exercise restraint and strictly observe the ceasefire in accordance with the tripartite statements of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia dated November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021," the Ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement, Moscow is extremely concerned over the sharp aggravation of the situation in certain areas of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on Monday night.

All disputes between the two countries should be resolved exclusively through political and diplomatic means, the Russian Foreign Ministry considered.

Moscow confirms Armenia asked for help in settling situation

The Ministry also confirmed that Russia has received a request from Armenia to assist in resolving the situation on the border with Azerbaijan.

"We are in close contact with Baku and Yerevan. We have received an appeal from the Armenian leadership with a request to assist in resolving the situation in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and through the CSTO. We hope that the agreement reached as a result of Russian mediation on a ceasefire from 9:00 Moscow time [06:00 GMT] on September 13 this year will be carried out in full," the Ministry indicated.

The Armenian Defense Minister, Suren Papikyan, and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, agreed to take steps to stabilize the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

"The Armenian defense minister presented to his Russian counterpart the situation created as a result of Azerbaijan's large-scale aggression against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. Papikyan and Shoigu agreed to take the necessary steps to stabilize the situation," the Armenian Ministry said in a statement.

Iran expresses readiness to facilitate resolution of conflict

In the same context, Iran has expressed its readiness to help settle the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and is calling for restraint and resolution of disagreements through peaceful means and based on international law, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

In a statement, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani expressed "Iran's readiness to provide any assistance needed to resolve the disagreements between its two neighbors."

Kanaani stressed that Iran considers any change to the borders between Azerbaijan and Armenia as "unacceptable".

Ankara urges Yerevan to focus on peace talks

On his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called on Yerevan to focus on peace negotiations with Azerbaijan.

"Discussed Armenian provocations on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border w/ my brother Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan. Armenia should cease its provocations & focus on peace negotiations and cooperation w/ Azerbaijan," Cavusoglu tweeted.

Discussed Armenian provocations on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border w/ my brother Foreign Minister @bayramov_jeyhun of Azerbaijan.

Armenia should cease its provocations & focus on peace negotiations and cooperation w/ Azerbaijan.🇹🇷🇦🇿
— Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (@MevlutCavusoglu) September 13, 2022

Azeri, Turkish defense ministers discuss escalation

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar discussed by phone the recent escalation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

"Hasanov informed his colleague about the clash that occurred as a result of a large-scale provocation by the Armenian side on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border in the Dashkesan, Kalbajar and Lachin directions, and stated that these steps of the opposite side were decisively suppressed," the Ministry mentioned in a statement.

"Akar, in turn, stated that Turkey, as it has always been, still stood next to Azerbaijan today. The parties also held a wide exchange of views on the current situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border," the statement read.

Yerevan said the Azerbaijani military shelled the territory of Armenia late on Monday using artillery and drones, while Baku claimed that the Armenian military fired at the positions of the Azerbaijani troops on the border. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported losses in its ranks without specifying them.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a 22-day war over the mountainous region in the fall of 2020. It ended in a Russia-brokered peace deal that saw the Armenian-dominated self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh cede parts of Nagorno-Karabakh under its control to Azerbaijan.

Armenia-Azerbaijan ceasefire collapses right after entering into force

Earlier, a spokesperson for the Armenian Defense Ministry, Aram Torosyan, said positional fighting continues along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

"As of 08:00 on September 13 [04:00 GMT], the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border has not changed significantly. The enemy continues to use artillery, mortars, drones, and large-caliber rifles in the directions of Vardenis, Sotk, Artanish, Ishkhanasar, Goris, and Kapan, targeting both military and civilian infrastructures," the spokesperson said.

Torosyan added that "the enemy does not stop the attempts to advance."

A total of 49 Armenian soldiers were killed as a result of shelling on the border with Azerbaijan, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Tuesday.

"Our losses amounted to 49," Pashinyan told lawmakers, noting that the figure is not final.

Moreover, three civilians were injured as a result of the Azerbaijani shelling, the Armenian Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

"As a result of artillery shelling of Armenian positions and settlements by the Azerbaijani armed forces, three civilians were injured," the Ministry said in a statement.

The condition of one of those injured is serious, the statement added.

This comes right after a ceasefire was reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani Haqqn news portal, which cited sources, revealed that Yerevan and Baku have agreed to a truce beginning at 05:00 GMT.

Shortly after, the ceasefire collapsed after the fighting renewed.

In the early hours of Tuesday, the Azerbaijani military shelled Armenian territory with artillery and drones, according to Yerevan.

CSTO permanent council meets on Armenian-Azerbaijani escalation: Yerevan

According to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the Permanent Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is now holding a discussion on the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border at the request of Yerevan.

"At night, we held meetings of the Security Council and decided to apply to the CSTO. On the basis of this appeal, a meeting of the CSTO Permanent Council is now taking place," Pashinyan said.

Armenia has also approached Russia and the UN Security Council, according to Pashinyan.