Azerbaijan has ideal potential for normalization of Iran-U.S. ties: American-Iranian Council head

"Azerbaijan is one of the strategic countries in the region. Given neighborhood with Iran and common historical, public and cultural factors, Azerbaijan can play a decisive role in normalization of the Iran-U.S. ties," American-Iranian Council (AIC) chairman Houshang Amirahmadi told Trend News.

Amirahmadi said during a visit to Azerbaijan he will hold official and unofficial meetings and will study possibility of enhancing relations among regional countries. "I will hold official and unofficial meetings with Iranian and U.S. ambassadors. I will deliver a speech at Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy and Presidential Administration's Strategic Research Center," Amirahmadi added.

"We will try to align our view with that of the Azerbaijanis and to learn our cooperation potential."

American-Iranian Council chairman said every step that can improve Iran-U.S. ties must be made. Azerbaijani government can also assist in this regard.

He said Iran-U.S. ties have been severed for already 30 years. They have become estranged and can not find common ground.

"Azerbaijan can make decisive steps. Iran's participation in Nabucco, close Azerbaijan-Iran ties, their being neighbor states and Azerbaijani government's constructive position are decisive factors," he said.

Amirahmadi said his visit to Kazakhstan earlier last week was fruitful. "We participated at the mediaforum conference together with leaders of the U.S. Republican and Democrat parties, former U.S. ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad in Almaty. We were guest of Kazakh President's daughter Dariga Nazarbayeva at the conference," he said.

He said he has studied cooperation potential of the Central Asian states and visited Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan to hold discussions.

Amirahmadi said he hopes that as a head of U.S. NGO he will be able to explain U.S. plans in the Central Asia in the countries he visited. American-Iranian Council chairman said he will head for Iran from Azerbaijan.

/Trend News/