Iran announced on 29 December that it will open a consulate in Kapan, the administrative centre of Armenia’s southeastern Syunik province bordering the Islamic Republic.

The Iranian Embassy in Yerevan said on its Twitter page that Iran’s government approved a relevant proposal made by the Foreign Ministry in Tehran.

Several images of historic structures and other places in Syunik were provided by the embassy.

The Armenian foreign ministry then commented that Armenia is also working to open a consulate-general in Iran.

 “Work is underway [to open] a consulate-general of Armenia in Iran on the principle of reciprocity,” the Armenian foreign ministry spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan told.

Iran is opening a consulate in Kapan, another signal showing how important Syunik Province of Armenia is for Tehran in the context of Armenian-Iranian relations. This is what Iranologist Vardan Voskanyan wrote on his Facebook page, touching upon Tehran’s decision to open Iran’s consulate in the city of Kapan.

“The opening of Armenia’s consulate in Tabriz will also be viewed as a major step towards the strengthening of Armenia-Iran relations and will serve as a clear signal to the tyrant of Baku,” the Iranologist also wrote.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahian said that "the public phase of tension between Tehran and Baku is over."

He made the remarks at a press conference following a meeting of foreign ministers of neighbouring countries in Tehran on the situation in Afghanistan.

The Iranian Foreign Minister noted that he had contacts with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

Relations between the two countries soured in September this year after Azerbaijan took control of the part of the Goris-Kapan road that passes through its territory. Two Iranian drivers were detained for "illegal entry into Karabakh," and trucks of Iranian origin were subject to customs duties.

After this incident, the accusations of the country's officials against each other became clear. Iran has begun exercises on the border with Azerbaijan, declaring that there is a threat of a "Zionist regime" in the region, but Azerbaijan has denied the allegations and demanded evidence from Iran.

Furthermore, earlier, an influential Iranian cleric accused Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in October of trying to “cut Iran’s access to Armenia” with Turkey’s help. More than 160 members of Iran’s parliament likewise issued a joint statement warning against “any geopolitical change and alteration of the borders of neighbouring countries.”

Visiting Yerevan last week, a conservative Iranian lawmaker, Mahmoud Ahmadi-Bighash, reportedly warned that Tehran is strongly opposed to any redrawing of borders in the South Caucasus. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made similar statements this fall.