Iran denies allegations that Karabakh troops shelling wounded residents of Iranian village
Iran's military attaché in Armenia Hossein Sheikhs who was invited today to the defense ministry for a meeting with Armenian deputy defense minister David Tonoyan, denied media reports citing the vice-governor of the Iranian province of East Atrpatakan, Saeed Shabestari Khiyabani, as saying that Karabakh Armenian troops' shelling wounded residents of a village in the Iranian province, Armenia's ministry of defense said.
According to Saeed Shabestari Khiyabani, the alleged shelling by Karabakh forces wounded residents in the village of Upper Kolibegli and destroyed buildings.
"The military attaché did not confirm the information about the wounded saying that the Iranian side had asked both Armenian and Azerbaijani sides to show maximum attention to avoid such incidents," the Armenian defense ministry said.
According to the Armenian defense ministry, after specifying the geographic coordinates of the village in question, the Armenian side informed that the village is located in the rear of the Karabakh forces, and therefore the likelihood of its being shelled by Karabakh Armenian forces is very little.
During the meeting it was noted that such allegations look more like provocations and do not proceed from the interests of the Armenian side.
The two men were said also to have agreed to continue direct contacts to avoid the spread of misinformation. In this context, the Karabakh defense army will look deeper into the allegation and notify about the results the Iranian side in an appropriate manner. -0-