Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev met on 28 November on the sidelines of the 15th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

During the meeting, the two exchanged views on expanding bilateral cooperations, as well as ways to confront western propaganda narratives against the region.

“The two countries have a long and deep relationship and we will never allow these relations to be influenced by the enemies,” Raisi said.

He went on to say that neither side will allow insecurity and foreign interference in the affairs of the countries in the region.

“Experience has shown that wherever the countries of the region resolve their issues through understanding and negotiation, the way to sedition and foreign interference is closed,” he added.

Raisi insisted that ISIS and Zionist terrorism are two threatening security factors in the region and “must be confronted,” and that foreign intervention is to the detriment of the countries of the region.

“We must be vigilant against their conspiracies,” the Iranian president warned.

Raisi added: “We welcome the strengthening of economic relations between the two countries and the development of transit routes with the presence of Iranian companies.”

For his part, Aliyev said that he will form a special working group with the presence of senior government officials to follow up on and implement the proposed agreements.

“Baku attaches special importance to its fraternal relations with Tehran and we will not allow any damage to it,” he added.

He then went on to say that Baku is committed to the security of the border areas: “We will not allow any country to disrupt bilateral relations,” the Azeri leader warned.

Aliyev added that Azerbaijan is determined to solve the transit problem and provide the ground for the presence and activity of Iranian companies in Azerbaijan.

“This meeting will be a turning point in the relations between the two countries and we are committed to securing the regional interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he noted.

At the end of the meeting, a gas swap agreement that will transit through Iranian territory was signed between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.