TEHRAN, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman on Tuesday expressed concern about the escalating conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the disputed mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
In a statement responding to the region's latest developments, Nasser Kanaani called on all parties to remain committed to the terms of a cease-fire deal brokered by Russia in 2020 and resolve their issues through dialogue.
Kanaani stressed that Iran stays committed to helping find a peaceful resolution to the differences and is ready to hold a meeting within the 3+3 format, comprising three Caucasian states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, and their three neighbors of Russia, Türkiye, and Iran.
Earlier this month, Azerbaijan said Armenian forces fired on its soldiers and that its army units had responded by taking "retaliatory measures." Armenia denied the incident.
On Tuesday, Azerbaijan launched a military operation in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, demanding the Armenian forces withdraw from the territory.
The two countries have been at loggerheads over Nagorno-Karabakh since 1988. They fought a war over the region in the early 1990s, which ended with a cease-fire in 1994.
A new round of armed conflict broke out along the contact line on Sept. 27, 2020, before Russia brokered the 2020 truce. ■
