Iran fears regional war as war between Azerbaijaan and Armenia intensifies

New Delhi : Iran's president warned on Wednesday that fighting between Azeri and ethnic Armenian forces in the South Caucasus could spark a regional war and stepped up calls for a ceasefire.

After 11th day of non-stop violence, the warring sides set out conflicting conditions for ending their deadliest clashes in more than 25 years and holding talks.

Nearly 360 people have already lost their lives due to the fight in and around the mountain enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, which under international law belongs to Azerbaijan but is populated and governed by ethnic Armenians.

British oil company BP said it had reinforced security at its facilities in Azerbaijan.

BP said it was working closely "with the relevant authorities in an effort to take necessary measures to provide the protection of our personnel, operations and assets".

Iran, which borders both Armenia and Azerbaijan, has been talking to both the former Soviet republics as concern mounts that Turkey, a close ally of Azerbaijan, and Russia, which has a defence pact with Armenia, could be sucked into the conflict.

"We must be attentive that the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan does not become a regional war," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in televised remarks.