Iran stresses good neighbourly ties, warns against spill over from Middle East conflict

Iranian Foreign Affairs Spokesman Esmail Baghaei has warned neighbours to take care not to be drawn into the Middle East conflict in an interview with AnewZ's Touraj Shiralilou. The exclusive chat was carried out ahead of a multiday internet blackout in Iran, which delayed its publication. 

Iran’s neighbours should “take the utmost care” not to be pulled into the Middle East conflict, Tehran’s Foreign Affairs Spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, has said.

Speaking to AnewZ’s Touraj Shiralilou, Baghaei said Iran and nearby countries needed to take measures to protect relations from “malign intervention” by outsiders. 

Baghaei added that “constructive talks” had taken place between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, following a drone strike in Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan region in early March.

Four people were injured in the strikes, which President Aliyev branded an “ugly terrorist act” and blamed on Iran. 

Baghaei stressed the links between Azerbaijan and Iran, adding that Tehran remained interested in strengthening relations.

“We have historical, religious, civilisational, [and] cultural ties. It is only natural for both of us to care for the continuation and the strengthening of our bilateral relations based on mutual respect and mutual interest,” he said. 

Mourners attend the funeral of Ali Larijani in Tehran on 18 March, 2026.
Touraj Shiralilou

The interviews with the Iranian officials came as funeral ceremonies were held in Tehran for security chief Ali Larijani and navy servicemen on Wednesday (18 March).

Larijani was killed in targeted Israeli airstrikes a day earlier on Tuesday. The sailors died when a U.S. submarine torpedoed an Iranian Navy ship off the coast of Sri Lanka on 4 March.

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