Iran's Reza Salehi Amiri emphasises Iran-Azerbaijan cultural links ahead of Novruz

Tehran’s Cultural Heritage Minister, Reza Salehi Amiri, has emphasised Iran’s and Azerbaijan’s shared cultural and civilisational heritage in an exclusive interview with AnewZ ahead of Novruz. The chat is being published with some delay, after an internet blackout in Iran delayed its transmission. 

Speaking to AnewZ’s Touraj Shiralilou, Salehi-Amiri stressed the ancient links between the two countries, as citizens in both nations prepared to celebrate the holiday, which marks the arrival of spring. 

“Iran and Azerbaijan share cultural and civilisational heritage, including Nowruz. [...] In addition to our nations, our leaders President Masoud Pezeshkihan and President Ilham Aliyev have established our bilateral ties at regional level,” he said. 

He added that the continuing U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tehran meant Iran had had to cancel plans to invite neighbouring countries to Novruz festivities in the capital. 

Salehi Amiri also thanked President Aliyev for expressing condolences over the death of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and sending congratulations on the election of a new Supreme Leader.

• Novruz festivities kick off in Azerbaijan with dances, crafts and bonfires
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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on 28 February. His son Mojtaba Khamenei succeeded him as Iran’s new Supreme Leader on 8 March. 

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 17 March. 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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