Iran Warns Azerbaijan and Armenia Over Fighting Near Border
Iran warned that it would take reciprocal measures if fighting between its neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan spills over.
(Bloomberg) -- Iran warned that it would take reciprocal measures if fighting between its neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan spills over and endangers security across their borders with Iran.
Iran’s Interior Minister Rahmani Fazli urged the two countries to contain the fighting after clashes over their long-standing war over the Nagorno-Karabagh region erupted last month, according to a statement shown on Iranian state TV.
“Some bullets and rockets have hit areas of Iran, and we have reminded them that they need to take better control, and if it continues like this, we will give them a much stronger warning and take reciprocal action if necessary,” he said.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry also called on both countries to declare an immediate cease-fire, according to a tweet by ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh.
Earlier Monday, a rocket from the fighting landed in a village in northwestern Iran, near a stretch of the border that runs along both Armenia and Azerbaijan, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
It followed a similar incident Sept. 27; neither caused any significant damage.
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Iran’s northwestern territory is mostly populated by ethnic Azeris who are the country’s largest minority. The provinces of West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan and Ardabil share borders with Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey.
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