Putin urges Azerbaijan, Iran to enhance anti-terror cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Monday on Azerbaijan and Iran to enhance cooperation to combat the growing threat of terrorism in the region.

He made this remarks during a trilateral summit of leaders of the three countries in Baku for talks on issues of common interests.

Putin stressed the need for the three countries to step up information-sharing on the activities of terrorist organizations.

"It is necessary for more efficient efforts to prevent the transit of militants, weapons, drugs through the territories of our countries," he said.

Putin called for closer cooperation on solving problems that pose regional threats, such as zones of instability, hot conflicts, and growing threat of terrorism, especially by the Islamic State.

Last week, in an interview with official Azerbaijani news agency AZERTAC, Putin said that "Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan are certainly disturbed by the two major hotbeds of instability -- Afghanistan and the Middle East, in the immediate vicinity of their boundaries."

"The threat of international terrorism and cross-border crime, the flow of drugs, arms smuggling, and movement of militants are coming from these regions," he said. Endit