No Change in Iran’s Borders as Karabakh Peace Deal Unfolds: Spokesman

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the ceasefire deal between the two countries will not lead to any changes in Iranian frontiers.

“The geographical borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as the regional borders have not changed, and will not change in the future. Neither Iran’s borders, nor regional borders will change,” he said in his weekly press conference.

“Our understanding of what has been published, an understanding which we have clearly told everyone about, is that it is just a simple transit route whose ifs and buts, way of ensuring its security and other issues related to it must definitely be discussed,” he added.

“Naturally, the Islamic Republic of Iran will pursue the matter with sensitivity and vigilance. Our envoys are vigilantly following up on the issue in the capitals of the regional countries,” the spokesman noted.

He further highlighted Iran’s policy of seeking to resolve the crisis in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

“Iran has welcomed, and will welcome any permanent settlement of this crisis. Over the past three decades, Iran has tried to help resolve this issue peacefully.

Naturally, Iran embraces any move that will contribute to this trend,” he noted.

“As a country which has good, regular and balanced access to both capitals, the Islamic Republic of Iran will definitely concentrate an important part of its efforts on settling this issue.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s proposal, which was also presented to the capitals [of the concerned countries], has considerable overlap with the initiative being implemented at the moment,” he said.

He then emphasized that terrorists reportedly operating near Iran’s borders should leave the region.

“I hope the Takfiri troops reported to be operating in our backyard have left the region by now because they no longer have any excuse for their continued presence in the region,” he said.

“We have announced time and again that this (the presence of terrorists near our borders) is our red line. I hope Takfiri forces are no longer there, as we’ve been told. I hope they have already left the region,” said the spokesman.