On April 12, Ali Akbar Velayati, the Foreign Policy Adviser to Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, emphasized Iran's stance on the significance of the South Caucasus for its security. 

He stated, "Iran will not let any Western plots to undermine security in the region see the light of day." Velayati conveyed this message in a publication for Lebanon's Al Mayadeen Network.

Velayati highlighted concerns over US and NATO interventions in the region under the pretext of conflict resolution. He pointed out that the recent NATO ministerial summit in Brussels resulted in a decision on "illegal intervention in the affairs of the Caucasus region," with Western nations claiming to aim for "establishing peace."

"This behavior indicates that this group of countries wants to cause an increase in tensions and creates a pretext for military presence at the expense of the security and independence of the countries of the region," Velayati remarked.

According to him, the new NATO plan, based on the US initiative, will necessitate the assistance of "mediators in the region." Velayati warned that such a strategy would not only lead to significant strategic damage for the region's countries but also result in the erosion of historical borders and the emergence of internal conflicts. These events, he warned, would be exploited by Western powers, primarily the United States, as a pretext for intervention, exacerbating existing tensions between neighboring states and fostering expansionist programs under the guise of conflict resolution.

Velayati emphasized, "Tehran will not tolerate such Western plots aimed at undermining regional security." He recalled the US's previous attempt to deploy North Atlantic Alliance forces south of Russia and north of Iran to access energy resources from the Caspian Sea and Central Asia. However, Velayati concluded, "The plan was thwarted thanks to the Islamic Republic's vigilance and its steadfast opposition to such a plan."