Meeting with Hossein Amir Abdollahian

On July 24, in Tehran, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hossein Amir Abdollahian had a meeting both in tête-à-tête and in an enlarged format, the latter with the participation of the delegations of both countries, the Press Office of the Armenian Foreign Ministry reported.

The meeting was followed by the press statements of two ministers.

Mirzoyan said, "Attaching great importance to the benchmark outlined by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran on increasing the volume of bilateral trade turnover up to $3 billion, we stressed the consistency of joint economic programs and the importance of their completion. Cooperation in the fields of trade, energy, transport, and road infrastructure plays a special role on our agenda. In this regard, it should be emphasized that the implementation of the programs of international transport routes 'North-South Road Corridor' and 'Persian Gulf-Black Sea' is of great importance."

"One of the substantive achievements of bilateral cooperation was the opening of the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kapan last year, the logical continuation of which we consider the works on the establishment of the Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in Tabriz," he added.

The Armenian Foreign Minister emphasized: "As we have repeatedly stated, in the context of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, we attach key importance to reestablishment of clear borderline based on the Alma-Ata Declaration, to ensuring guarantees of delimitation and border security, as well as establishing a stable international mechanism of discussions between Stepanakert and Baku for addressing issues of the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. However, regrettably, instead of a dialogue with the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan today pursues a policy of ethnic cleansing, a clear manifestation of which is the seven-month-long illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with the outer world. Since June 15, the supply of food and medicine to Nagorno-Karabakh has completely halted, and the transfer of patients with serious health problems to Armenia is being hindered."

"The Republic of Armenia is much interested in unblocking the regional economic and transport infrastructure, based on sovereignty and national jurisdiction of the countries, as well as on the principles of equality and reciprocity. In this context, the inviolability of our state border with the Islamic Republic of Iran cannot be questioned, and here, the clear and repeatedly expressed positions of the Armenian and Iranian sides are identical. As we have noted many times, we highly appreciate the principled and clear position of neighboring and friendly Iran regarding the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia over respective infrastructures," he added.

Meeting with Ebrahim Raisi

On the same day, Ebrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, received Ararat Mirzoyan.

Issues of the Armenian-Iranian multi-sectoral cooperation were discussed during the meeting. Views were exchanged on realizing the ambitious bilateral agenda and the implementation process of agreements reached at the highest level. In this context, the importance of the implementation of current and planned joint projects between the two countries in the fields of trade, economy, energy, and transport was particularly highlighted.

"Following the discussion held on the same day at the level of Foreign Ministers, regional security issues were also at the core of the attention of Ararat Mirzoyan and Ebrahim Raisi. Minister Mirzoyan presented to the President of Iran the latest developments in the normalization process of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and reiterated the Armenian side's vision regarding establishing lasting peace in the South Caucasus. The need to exclude maximalist, hostile rhetoric and the approach of solving problems through the use of force or the threat of the use of force was emphasized," the report added.

"Touching upon the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, Ararat Mirzoyan stressed the imperative to immediately lift the blockade and prevent the ethnic cleansing of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan," the information said.

Tehran confirms readiness to promote peace in South Caucasus

Confirming Tehran's willingness to promote the establishment of a lasting peace in the South Caucasus on July 24, Nasser Kanaani, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic, stated that Iran supports a new round of peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 

During a weekly briefing for journalists, a representative of the Iranian Foreign Ministry called ensuring stability in the South Caucasus an important and priority issue for Tehran.

"Iran supports the peaceful process of resolving differences between neighbors. The head of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, within the framework of the development of bilateral relations, will arrive in Tehran today in response to the visit of his Iranian counterpart to Yerevan," the diplomat noted.

"The foreign ministers of Iran and Armenia will discuss cooperation in the fields of energy, economy, and provision of consular services," he added.