The story: In its latest diplomatic foray into South Caucasus politics, Iran has hosted Armenia’s foreign minister while endorsing peace talks between Baku and Yerevan. Coming after recent Iranian efforts to ease heightened tensions with Azerbaijan, Tehran's maneuvering underscores its desire to avoid pushing its estranged northwestern neighbor further toward Israel—and to protect its interests in the South Caucasus.

The coverage: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on July 24 met his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan in Tehran.

• Amir-Abdollahian asserted that Iran supports peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, welcoming the "recent progress in the negotiation process."
  
  
• At a joint press conference after the meeting, the top Iranian diplomat said "the time for war is over, and the time for a peace built on dialogue has arrived."
  
  
• Amir-Abdollahian also warned against...