Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan leaders call for easing Mideast tensions through diplomatic means

ISTANBUL

Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on Thursday discussed the situation in the Middle East, stressing the need for a rapid easing of war through political and diplomatic means.

According to the Uzbek presidential press service, the two leaders spoke on the phone about the evolving situation in the Middle East, emphasizing that further escalation could have unpredictable consequences for the region as well as a global economic recession.

The US and Israel have continued a joint offensive on Iran since Feb. 28, killing so far around 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.

Mirziyoyev and Aliyev also discussed expanding their strategic partnership and alliance, following up on agreements reached at the second Supreme Interstate Council meeting in July last year.

The two noted the steady growth in trade turnover and the advancement of cooperation projects in trade, economic, investment, transport, cultural, humanitarian, and other priority areas.