We have close relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia, and both countries are important for Iran, the country's Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani stated today during the session of the Iranian government, stressing that cooperation with Armenia and Azerbaijan will continue.
Speaking about the issue of the concentration of armed forces in the northwest of the country, Ashtiani noted that during the year Iran conducts military exercises in the border regions. "They are held according to plan and take place in all border regions. It is a normal process," added the Iranian Defense Minister.