Iranian delegation to visit Baku to reopen medical centers

The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) is dispatching a medical and paramedical delegation to Azerbaijan in the coming days to study reopening of Iran’s medical centers in the Central Asian country, Tehran’s Ambassador to Baku Mohsen Pakayeen announced on Wednesday. The Iranian envoy to Azerbaijan made the remark following news reports on the closure of Iranian medical centers affiliated to IRCS and Imam Khomeini Relief Committee in the Central Asian country. “A delegation from the IRCS will travel to Baku in the next few days to renovate the center or rent a new place,” Pakayeen said, adding that the decision by the IRCS came after Azerbaijan’s Health Ministry recently adopted new regulations for the operation of medical centers and clinics in that country. “We are (also) negotiating for the resumption of operation of the medical center of Imam Khomeini’s Relief Committee (in Azerbaijan),” the envoy added. Iran has recently enhanced efforts to boost political, economic, security and cultural ties and cooperation with the regional and neighboring countries, specially the Central Asian states. In October, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad traveled to Baku to attend the 12th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization. The summit was held at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku. The Iranian and Azeri presidents met on the sidelines of ECO Summit, where the two leaders underlined the need for rigid efforts to expand bilateral relations and widen mutual cooperation.