Tehran, August 13, 2023 (MRUD NEWS)—After the meeting of Heads of Iran and Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission in Astara on July 17, Iran Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Mehrdad Bazrpash, and Shahin Mustafayev, First Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan talked over the phone to follow up ongoing projects and to speak about recent developments. 

Both sides considered previous joint meetings constructive for development of bilateral cooperation. 

Hearing of the latest developments of the ongoing projects including construction of the Aghband Bridge, the new border terminal and Khoda Afarin Dam, Bazrpash said: "to speed up current projects, necessary orders were notified to related authorities at the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, and it was also decided that a delegation would visit the site to investigate and solve existing challenges".

The head of Iran, Azerbaijan joint economic commission further said: Iran's customs would also be placed at the border terminal of Astara to follow up and resolve existing challenges and issues.

Further in the conversation, Iran Minister of Roads and Urban Development, emphasized respect for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the countries of the region, and declared his opposition to foreign interference in regional affairs and added: we believe that the problems of the region should be solved by the countries themselves and the military presence of foreigners is dangerous for the region. 

The Islamic Republic of Iran uses its neighborhood policy to resolve tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Bazrpash further added. 

Additionally, Bazarpash emphasized on facilitating travel of Iranian students between the two countries as with the opening of universities, and Mustafayev also gave a favorable promise in this regard.

In this phone call, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, appreciating the efforts of Iran Minister of Roads and Urban Development for developing bilateral relations, said: "Iran-Azerbaijan relations have improved after the bilateral meetings and economic relations have also prospered".

Mustafayev expressed hope that some political misunderstandings between the two countries would be resolved as soon as possible.

At the end, Shahin Mustafayev invited Iran Minister of Roads and Urban Development to visit Azerbaijan in October and visit the joint projects of the two countries.

On July 17-18, 2023 Iran and Azerbaijan held an official meeting in Astara (Iran) where the two sides discussed and agreed on increased bilateral trade and transit. As construction of the border Bridge of Astarachay had been completed, Iranian delegation welcomed Azerbaijan delegation on this Bridge.