Iran’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mahmoud Vaezi had a telephone conversation with Azeri Minister of Economy and Industry Shahin Mustafayev following the escalation of tensions between Baku and Yerevan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The two ministers represent Iran and Azerbaijan in the Economic Cooperation Joint Commission of the two nations.

Vaezi cautioned that continuing military confrontation between Azerbaijan and Armenia would hinder their economic development and sap their capabilities, and could ultimately have negative consequences for the region and the interests of regional nations.

Mustafayev, for his part, hailed Iran’s efforts to settle the crisis, saying that Baku is also eager to put an immediate end to the war, a sign of which was Azerbaijan’s unilateral declaration of a ceasefire.

At least 30 soldiers have been killed in the fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces along the frontlines of the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Each side blames the other for the fighting.

On Sunday, Baku announced a unilateral ceasefire in its conflict with Armenia.

Nagorno-Karabakh has been under the control of Armenian military and separatists since a war between the two countries ended in 1994. Years of negotiations have brought little progress in resolving the dispute.

Fighting on Saturday marked the worst clashes since 1994.