In his speech at the IranGeo exhibition, Yahya Safavi, the adviser on military affairs of the spiritual leader of Iran, said, referring to the Caucasus:
"The Caucasus is of great importance for Iran. We need to know the geography of this region to understand what policy to adopt in this direction. Regarding the Caucasus, our country is in strategic competition with other countries, that is why it is necessary to have strategic relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Iran's policy is the protection of national security, borders, and national interests. Of course, the superpowers intervene in this region, so the issue of Iran's policy in the Caucasus is important."
