Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani attended the fourth meeting of the Iranian-Azerbaijani Joint Military and Defense Cooperation Commission in the Iranian capital Tehran, Mehr reports.

Ashtiani underlined that existence of profound connection between the nations contributed to enhancement of the level of bilateral cooperation between the countries.

“The [ongoing] trend of [standing] relations and interaction [between the countries] serves as a platform for their success in [enabling] favorable enhancement of their cooperation within the framework of the countries’ goals and national interests,” he added.

The Iranian official considered Azerbaijan to be of an “important and effective position” in Iran’s defensive and foreign policy.

He identified the South Caucasus to be an important environment in the eyes of Iran—as far as security issues were concerned.

“The developments and processes that take place in this region are undoubtedly effective on the Islamic Republic’s security,” Ashtiani said.