MNA � Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of General Staff of Iranian Armed Forces, announced the development of defense and military relations between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, adding "based on an agreement signed by all the Caspian coastal countries, including Azerbaijan, the two countries will hold joint naval drills in the Sea."

Bagheri made the remarks in a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Prime Minister Novruz Mammadov on Thursday.

"Iran welcomes the security, stability, peace and prosperity of the neighboring countries, including the Republic of Azerbaijan, and I hope that this stability will be continuing , and that the Islamic Republic of Iran will leave no stone unturned to maintain the security of the Republic of Azerbaijan," he said.

Iran always supports Azerbaijan�s territorial integrity and is interested in the soonest peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he added.

Bagheri added that Iran also wants the occupied territories to be returned to Azerbaijan and the problem of refugees and internally displaced people to be solved.