Tehran, YJC. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, emphasized the need for stronger bonds between Tehran and Baku in different domains.
In a meeting with Aliyev in the Azeri capital city of Baku
on Wednesday, Rouhani said the Islamic Republic of Iran and the neighboring
Republic of Azerbaijan enjoy great potential for expansion of bilateral
cooperation, Press TV reported on Thrusday.
The two countries are blessed with abundant capacities in
economic, cultural, political and international fields that must be taken
advantage of, he added.
Rouhani also expressed hope that all subjects of mutual
interest would be discussed with Azeri officials during his two-day stay in
Baku.
Aliyev, for his part, pointed to the commonalities between
the Iranian and Azeri nations, stressing that his administration strongly favors
closer interactions between the Iranian and Azeri people and governments in all
areas.
Upon his arrival at Heydar Aliyev International Airport in
Baku on Wednesday, Rouhani told reporters that he hopes to sign agreements and
explore avenues for the improvement of Tehran-Baku relations during his visit
to the Republic of Azerbaijan.
"The Republic of Azerbaijan is a very good neighbor for the
Islamic Republic of Iran and today, our relations are better than previous
years,” he said.
On September 29, Rouhani said Tehran and Baku have great
potential for the expansion of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the
fields of energy, commerce, environment and tourism, adding that
Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission should play a more active role in this
regard.