A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said his country will not tolerate the conflict between neighbouring Azerbaijan and Armenia spilling over onto its borders. IRNA news agency quoted Khatibzadeh as saying that Tehran had contacted both countries and informed them of its readiness to help solve the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis. “Iran calls on both sides to respect civilian rights and spare them the scourge of war,” he said, adding: “Iran has prepared a detailed plan to resolve the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and is ready to discuss it with the two parties to the conflict.” Khatibzadeh hoped that the two sides would initiate a ceasefire. Tensions between the two countries have spiralled in recent days due to renewed border clashes over the region occupied by Armenia since the weekend, in which both Azeri and Armenian forces have conducted attacks on military positions and civilian areas. The clashes prompted Azerbaijan to declare a state of war in some of its cities and areas near the border on 27 September.