Rouhani was quoted by his office as telling Pashinian that the region “cannot withstand instability and a new war."

"It is important for us to stop this conflict and we expect the two countries to take a step in this direction with tact and restraint," he said, referring to Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Rouhani said Iran has friendly relations with both South Caucasus nations and stands ready to play “any constructive role” in easing tensions between them. "We wish an urgent end to the conflict and we should all seek to resolve issues in the region through politics and international norms," he added.

The Iranian president was also reported to say: “Any foreign intervention in this matter will not only not help resolve the problem but also prolong … the situation and make it more complicated.”

It was not clear if he referred to Turkey’s vehement support for Azerbaijan which has led Armenia to accuse Ankara of participating in the continuing fighting on Azerbaijan’s side.

The official Armenian readout of the phone call said Pashinian discussed the “direct Turkish involvement” with Rouhani. “Prime Minister Pashinian presented some details of that,” it said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts following the outbreak on Sunday of the large-scale hostilities along the Karabakh “line of contact” adjacent to Iran. Zarif reportedly urged both sides to restore the ceasefire regime and resume peace talks.