Consul General of Iran: Border cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran is at high level

Baku. 13 April. REPORT.AZ/ The Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Mansour Airom gave an interview to Report News Agency about the 13th April meeting of the two countries high ranking border officials in Nakhchivan.

- Iran and Azerbaijan high ranking border officials' meeting held today the 13th of April in Nakhchivan. What was the level of the participants in the meeting and who led the delegation of either side?

-The meeting was attended by chief Border Guard commanders of the two countries' , Excellencies Brigadier General Qassem Rezai, the Iranian Border Guard commander and Elchin Quliyev the Chief of State Border Service of Azerbaijan Republic. In addition, the Iranian provincial border guard commanders of Ardebil, East Azerbaijan and Gilan and 6 Iranian border guard regiment commander stationed at the borders with Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan border officers deployed at the borders with the Islamic Republic of Iran participated in this meeting.

- What was the purpose of the meeting?

- This meeting was held in Nakhchivan in the implementation of the 2nd paragraph of the minutes of agreement signed during the meeting of the high ranking border officials of the two countries held in Tehran on 24th of February 2015. According to the agreement reached in Tehran, It has been decided, in addition to the annual rotatory meetings of the high ranking border officials of the two countries being held in the capitals, to have annual rotatory border meetings in one of the border cities of two neighboring country with the participation of the regional border guard commanders. Nakhchivan meeting was held in accordance with the aforesaid agreement.

The purpose of these meetings is to develop the friendly and intimate relations between the two countries' cooperation and coordination between the border guards of two sides, so that to be able to work better together in order to reduce the damages and casualties while happening of an accident and also to prevent the illegal movement of the citizens of the two countries which is contrary to the law, and thereby providing security and order in the joint borders between Iran and Azerbaijan.

- How do you assess the border cooperation between the two countries, especially in the border line between Islamic Republic of Iran and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic?

- According to the historical, cultural, religious and linguistic commonalities and friendly and cordial relations between Islamic Republic of Iran and Azerbaijan Republic, and also the cooperation between the border guards, the security and order along the joint border line is very high, and it can be said that the borders of Iran and Azerbaijan are among the safest and the most secure border lines with the least border problems in the world.

At present Iranians and the residents of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic can easily commute through the crossing points Jolfa- Jolfa and Poldasht-Shah Takhti, and there is an Intimate relationship between the border guards of Iran and Azerbaijan in Nakhchivan. As you know since about 5 years ago, the Azeri nationals can travel to Iran without a visa.

For sure, creating and maintaining security along the border lines especially in the crossing points will result in more commute of the nationals and enhancing the friendly relations and the level of economic and trade transactions between the residents of the border cities. The tangible outcome of this situation will be the development of bilateral relations and the creation of security and welfare for the people living in the border cities.

-How is the relation between the Consulate General of the I.R. Iran in Nakhchivan and the border guard officials?

-There has always been a good relation between the Iranian Consulate General with all the officials especially, the border guard officials and contrary to my short stay in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic some good meetings have been held with the responsible border officials of two sides. I hope this kind of cooperation and the outcome of the two countries' border commanders' meeting will result in developing and strengthening the cordial relations between the two neighboring brother country.