Iran believes that Artsakh’s (Nagorno-Karabakh) ethnic Armenian population, forcibly displaced by the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive, ethnic cleansing and genocide, must be able to return to the region and live there in security, said Iran’s Ambassador to Armenia, Mehdi Sobhani, on Friday, reports Azatutyun from an interview.
“Our position regarding the rights of Karabakh residents is clear. We recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and emphasize it, but at the same time, we believe that the rights of the Armenian residents of Karabakh should be respected,” said Sobhani.
“The issue is like a wound, and that wound must be healed. If that wound is not healed, it may open again. When we talk about sustainable peace, that wound should also be taken into account,” he added.
“They did not come here voluntarily, and we hope that conditions will be created for them to return to their homes voluntarily,” he said.
Asked whether their repatriation and security require an autonomous status for Artsakh, the Ambassador replied, “There should be dialogue and negotiation about it. We and you must not make a decision for them.” He did not explicitly state that such talks should be between Baku and Artsakh Armenian leaders.
Azerbaijan denies forcing the Artsakh Armenians to flee their homeland and says they can live there under Azerbaijani rule. Artsakh’s leaders and residents rejected such an option even before the Azerbaijani offensive. Some of those leaders have said after the exodus that only “international guarantees” could convince the refugees to return home.
Armenia’s government, which has accused Baku of carrying out ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, does not seem to be seeking such guarantees. Armenia’s Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, has repeatedly indicated that the Artsakh issue is closed for his administration.
