Ayatollah Khamenei: Resolution of Karabakh conflict dependent on constant dialogue between Azerbaijani, Armenian officials

By  Trend

The resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is dependent on a constant dialogue between Azerbaijani and Armenian officials, said Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Trend reports citing Iranian media.

Ayatollah Khamenei also reiterated Iran’s long-held position that the Islamic Republic is ready to help resolve the conflict between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

During the Karabakh war, on Feb. 25-26, 1992, the Armenian armed forces, together with the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops, stationed in Khankendi, committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly. As many as 613 people, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people were killed in the massacre. Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both. Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 people still remains unknown.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.