Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has expressed his country's desire to establish multilateral cooperation with Azerbaijan and has given all the necessary instructions, the Minister of Industry and Economy of Azerbaijan, Shahin Mustafayev, said.
"We have had a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani this morning, where he expressed a desire to establish multilateral cooperation with Azerbaijan and has given all the necessary instructions in this regard," Trend cited him as saying.
Mustafayev noted that the transportation sector is one of the main areas of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran. "The transportation sector is one of the most important areas of cooperation between our countries. The establishment of the North-South transport corridor is strategically important for us. We also intend to discuss cargo transportation via the Anzali-Baku route," he said.
"We are ready to render any support for cooperation in the financial and banking sector. This area is extremely important for relations between the two countries. We are also ready to cooperate in the areas of insurance, pharmaceuticals and tourism," the minister added.
Professor of the Western University, political scientist Fikret Sadykhov, told Vestnik Kavkaza that the relations between Azerbaijan and Iran have not always been developing smoothly. "Only in recent years can we see stability in bilateral relations. In principle, we have always stood for the development of good-neighborly relations, because Iran is our neighbor. Of course, everything that happens there is not uninteresting to Azerbaijan," the analyst said.
"In fact, the prospects for development of relations are good. This have became known already after the visit of our economic development minister to Tehran. The President of Iran has unequivocally declared that the prospects of bilateral cooperation are sufficiently clear and specific. In principle, we are ready to cooperate in the energy sector, and in the trade and economic sphere. And I think that Iran can provide further access to the Gulf countries for Azerbaijan. And Azerbaijan for Iran, of course, provides access to the north," Fikret Sadykhov said.
As to the question of what the most interesting areas of cooperation are for Azerbaijan, the professor of the Western University noted the energy sector. "But I think that the energy sector is not the limit. Trade and economic co-operation, investment in various spheres, cross-border trade and an increase in mutual visits are the main areas that will be on the agenda in the coming years," he concluded.
A senior researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies, Vladimir Sazhin, noted that the relations between Iran and Azerbaijan are quite complex, especially in political terms. "Undoubtedly, Iran does not like the pro-Western orientation of Baku and its relations with Israel. Still, these are two neighboring countries with common interests in the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea. Therefore, Tehran and Baku are seeking to improve these relations."
At the same time, the political scientist stressed that following the agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, many sanctions will be softened and then removed, it will open up new opportunities for all countries in deepening economic ties with Iran, including, of course, Azerbaijan. "The areas of interest of the two countries are oil, gas and cooperation in the sphere of agriculture. Azerbaijan will be able to not look back at the major countries which imposed sanctions against Iran – the United States, Western Europe – and quietly develop its relations with Iran," the expert said.
About Iran's participation in Azerbaijani energy projects Sazhin said that it is quite possible, especially in cross-border regions.
