Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that a few years ago the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict had a chance to reach agreements that would help save hundreds and thousands of lives, but "it didn't work then".

"Now we have a real situation on the ground, which was achieved as a result of the mediation efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin, his many hours of negotiations with the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia," Lavrov told a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Moscow on Tuesday, January 26.

According to the Russian foreign policy chief, the trilateral statement from November 9, in addition to a complete cessation of all hostilities, provides for solutions, most of which fit into the very principles formulated by Russia and other co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group throughout the peace process.

"The situation developed in line with those principles, but at the cost of a huge number of human losses," Lavrov added.

The top Russian diplomat also said that Moscow is not going to abandon its efforts in the Karabakh peace process, which he said is evidenced by a recent meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders hosted by Putin in Moscow.

He also expressed confidence that Iran too will be interested in projects aimed at unblocking economic and transport communications in the region.