TEHRAN – Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami has rebuffed allegations that Iran was siding with Armenia by allowing Russian weapons to pass through its territories to neighboring Armenia.

“We have not opened our borders and territories to transfer Russian weapons to Armenia, and these are just accusations, and we have also issued clear official warnings to Azerbaijan and Armenia regarding the security of our border areas,” the defense minister told Aljazeera on Monday.

He called on Turkey to play a positive role in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis diplomatically.

“We expect that Turkey, as a friendly and important regional country, helps resolve the crisis diplomatically,” the top general noted.

Hatami also pointed out that Iran is ready to sign military and security agreements with the Persian Gulf countries regarding stability in the region, warning that any Israeli threat emanating from the Persian Gulf region will be met with a clear and direct response.

The defense minister said the normalization deals between Israel and some Arab countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain pose a direct threat to the Persian Gulf region’s security.

Earlier in August, Iran warned the UAE against giving Israel a foothold in the Persian Gulf region.

SM/PA