IRNA - The chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri highlighted Iran�s determination to deepen political, economic, cultural and military relations with Azerbaijan Republic.

In a meeting with the country�s parliament speaker Ogtay Asadov, he reiterated Iran�s support to Azerbaijan Republic�s territorial integrity and security of its borders.

Conveying Iran Majlis Speaker Ali Larihani�s warm greeting to his Azeri counterpart, Baqeri described deepening the two countries parliamentary relations as important, saying that promoting bilateral ties is essential at this juncture.

Asadov, for his part, called Iran and Azerbaijan Republic as two friendly states, saying that there exist good conditions for deepening ties based on historical, cultural and religious commonalities.

Underlining the political resolve of the two countries� leaders for boosting cooperation, he said that the two countries� presidents have met 12 times over the past five years and the talks focused on national interests of the two nations.

Trade exchanges between the two countries have increased to $400 million over the past nine months to December 21 from $257 million in 2017, he said.

The Iranian general who arrived in Baku earlier today also met with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev during which they discussed further expansion of bilateral relations.