Iran, Azerbaijan Keen to Expand Bilateral Ties

(FNA)- Iranian Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mahmoud Vaezi and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev in a meeting in Baku underlined the need for the expansion of mutual cooperation in various fields.

During the meeting in the Azeri capital on Tuesday night, Vaezi and Aliyev explored avenues for bolstering and reinvigorating bilateral ties.

"Following your visit to Tehran and your effective meetings with President Hassan Rouhani in Davos, Switzerland, and Tehran, the Iranian president has ordered his cabinet members to do their best to strengthen the relations between the two countries and remove the existing barriers impeding the further expansion of the bilateral ties," Vaezi said.

The Azeri president, for his part, said Iran and Azerbaijan can become regional allies through utilizing their capacities.

He pointed to the trend of the expansion of the bilateral ties between Iran and Azerbaijan, and said, "Holding joint economic and cultural commissions will play a crucial role in broadening the bilateral ties."

President Aliyev expressed the hope that his Iranian counterpart would pay a visit to Azerbaijan soon.

Vaezi, heading a 60-member economic delegation, is in Azerbaijan at the invitation of Azeri Economy and Industry Minister Shahin Mustafayev to attend the 9th Meeting of Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Cooperation Commission.

Iran has recently enhanced efforts to boost political, economic, security and cultural ties and cooperation with the regional and neighboring countries, specially the Central Asian states, including the republic of Azerbaijan.