Iran and Armenia are Determined to Develop Bilateral Relations and Cooperation

TEHRAN — Iran’s newly elected President Ebrahim Raisi pledged to strive for closer ties with neighboring Armenia when he met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Tehran on Thursday.

“The two governments are determined to develop bilateral and regional relations and cooperation, and we will move in this direction through cooperation,” Raisi was quoted by his office as saying during the talks.

He also said Tehran will spare no effort to promote “peace and stability” in the region.

Pashinyan was among foreign leaders who arrived in Tehran to attend Raisi’s swearing-in ceremony which was due take place in the Iranian parliament on Thursday evening.

“My presence here today testifies to our commitment to deepen relations and step up cooperation between Armenia and Iran at the highest level,” he told Raisi, according to an Armenian government statement. He reiterated his desire to “enrich the agenda” of that cooperation.

The statement said the two leaders discussed “a broad range of issues” relating to bilateral commercial ties. In particular, Pashinyan reaffirmed his government’s readiness to have Iranian companies participate in its plans to refurbish Armenian highways leading to the Islamic Republic.

The two governments set up in May a working group tasked with looking into practical aspects of such participation. The group held its first meeting in Tehran in early July and is due to meet in Yerevan later this month.

Armenian-Iranian energy projects, notably the protracted construction of a third power transmission line connecting the two countries, were also on the agenda of the talks.

“We are determined to complete joint plans and projects as soon as possible,” Raisi was reported to say.

The inauguration ceremony of Raisi took place in the Iranian Parliament building. The event was attended by 265 guests from 115 countries.

Raisi has vowed to be the guardian of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the regime and to spare no effort to solve the people’s problems.

Raisi, 60, was inaugurated two days after winning the formal endorsement of the country’s supreme leader to take office following his victory in an election in June, Reuters reports.

The newly elected President of the Islamic Republic of Iran thanked the heads of delegations for participating in the inauguration ceremony and made a speech.