Iran's Stance Constructive But OSCE's Mediation Legitimacy Exclusive So Far - Yerevan

The Organization for Security and Co-operation's (OSCE) Minsk Group, which is co-chaired by Russia, the United States, and France, remains the only recognized body that has the authority to mediate in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan told Sputnik in an interview

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th October, 2020) The Organization for Security and Co-operation's (OSCE) Minsk Group, which is co-chaired by Russia, the United States, and France, remains the only recognized body that has the authority to mediate in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan told Sputnik in an interview.

Earlier in the day, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had a new plan for the Karabakh crisis, which envisions "termination of the occupation, respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty." Araghchi argued that the Minsk group had been inefficient. On October 13, the Iranian government said Tehran was ready to become a mediator in the conflict.

"Iran is a very important country in our region and unlike Turkey it has a responsible and constructive stance when it comes to regional security and peace. At the same time, the Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship is the only internationally agreed format of mediation and negotiations, whose role was confirmed in the Joint Statement of October 10 and consecutive statements of October 17 and October 25," the Armenian foreign minister said.

Following the outbreak of clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27, Tehran has proposed establishing a tripartite initiative, involving Iran, Turkey, and Russia, to complement the OSCE Minsk Group's efforts to find a solution to the ongoing conflict.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said that Baku would support Ankara's involvement in any peace process.

The OSCE Minsk Group has urged Yerevan and Baku to observe a Russian-brokered ceasefire, which was agreed in Moscow on October 9. A second ceasefire agreement, which was meant to enter force on October 18, was also reached, although both sides have accused one another of conducting shelling attacks as recently as Friday morning.