On January 8, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Ali Akbar Ahmadian, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to discuss prospects for the development of bilateral relations.

During the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the visit of Ali Akbar Ahmadian presented an excellent opportunity for such discussions. Expressing gratitude for the reception, Ahmadian conveyed greetings from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to President Aliyev. In return, the President thanked Ahmadian for the greetings and asked him to convey his own to Iran's leadership.

Ahmadian highlighted the long-standing and unmatched cultural, historical, religious, and civilizational ties between Azerbaijan and Iran, noting that the two countries share a unique history of relations. He also congratulated Azerbaijan on its success in restoring its territorial integrity and sovereignty, expressing his delight over these achievements.

The meeting also touched on a range of areas for cooperation, including political, economic, transportation, energy, and more. President Aliyev emphasized the strong bonds between the Azerbaijani and Iranian peoples, stressing the importance of fostering friendly relations. He also expressed gratitude for the congratulations regarding Azerbaijan's territorial restoration and noted the significant damage caused by Armenia during the occupation, including the desecration of cultural and religious monuments.

The President reiterated Azerbaijan's stance on regional issues, emphasizing that regional states should resolve these issues independently, citing the 3+3 format initiated by Azerbaijan. He reaffirmed that external involvement in the region was unacceptable.

Both sides discussed the development of the North-South transport corridor and the trilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan, Russia, and Iran in this context. They also touched on the "Araz corridor" project, focusing on infrastructure developments along the Araz River and the construction of hydroelectric power plants in the area. The connection of electricity lines between Azerbaijan, Russia, and Iran was also noted as a significant potential area for cooperation.

The meeting concluded with both sides expressing their hope that the next intergovernmental commission meeting between Azerbaijan and Iran would provide an opportunity to discuss specific projects highlighted during the talks.