Russia expressed on Friday its satisfaction with the status quo of its relations with Tehran, according to the Kuwaiti official news agency (KUNA), citing a statement by the foreign ministry.
The statement was issued following a meeting the same day by Russia’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Avdeyev and Iranian special envoy for Caspian affairs Ali Ahani.
It said that the two parties had agreed to continue joint efforts to preserve the region's security.
Russia has previously declared a summit for leaders of the five countries overlooking the Caspian Sea would be a turning point in efforts to reach a peace settlement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to mediate in the dispute between Iran and Azerbaijan over ownership of part of the oil-rich Caspian, said previous reports.
AFP has said that Moscow had been concerned over an incident late July in which an Iranian warship threatened an Azeri oil-research vessel in the oil-rich Caspian Sea.
Russia urged Iran and Azerbaijan to act in a good-neighborly spirit, show wisdom and restraint and immediately start talks to find a solution, Interfax said, adding that Russia had offered to mediate.
The Azeri geological survey vessel Geophysic-3 was approached on July 23 by an Iranian warship in Caspian waters about 150 kilometers (90 miles) south of Azerbaijan's capital, Baku.
Azeri President Heydar Aliyev, meanwhile, was quoted by Reuters as saying that he would not allow a row with Iran over ownership of part of the oil-rich Caspian Sea to undermine relations between the neighbors.
Aliyev told reporters that Azerbaijan would maintain "peaceful relations with our southern neighbor," and that he would go ahead with a planned visit to Iran this month – Albawaba.com
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