Tehran, Baku to discuss border issues

/By AzerNews/

By Sara Rajabova

An Iranian official is on a visit to Azerbaijan to discuss joint border issues with the country.

Iran’s Border Guards commander, Brigadier General Qassem Rezaee, who arrived in Nakhchivan this morning, will address an agreement with his Azerbaijani counterpart in a coordination session between border guard officials from Iran and Azerbaijan, Iran’s embassy to Baku told Trend on April 13.

Ahead of his trip to Azerbaijan, Rezaee said at a press conference in Tabriz city that implementing the protocols that have been passed and the ways and means will be discussed in the sessions.

Since the Iran-Azerbaijan border is a water border, there are not many problems except for some torrential streams, all of which will be solved through the protocols, Fars news agency quoted him as saying.

Rezaee further added that the management of transit between the two countries will be another program on the agenda in the Nakhchivan meeting.

He noted that reopening the Aslanduz checkpoint will also be discussed in that session.

Azerbaijan and Iran earlier reached an agreement on the opening of the Aslanduz border checkpoint.

There are six border checkpoints on the Iranian-Azerbaijani border including Julfa, Shakhtakhti, Astara, Bilasuvar and Imishli. Horadiz border checkpoint hasn't been operating for a long time.

Since February 2010, Iran unilaterally abolished the visa regime for citizens of Azerbaijan, with the exception of journalists.

Azerbaijan and Iran also agreed within an intergovernmental commission to simplify the visa regime and the introduction of disposable (30-day) visa for Iranian citizens in the territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The charge of the visa fee stands at ten euros.

Iran and Azerbaijan have had diplomatic relations since 1918. Iran recognized Azerbaijan's independence in 1991, and diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992.