Ebrahim Raisi – Iran Fully Supports Territorial Integrity and Sovereignty of Armenia

YEREVAN — Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi discussed a number of issues on the development of the Armenian-Iranian relations during a telephone conversation on Monday, the press service of the Armenian government reported.

It said both men stressed the importance of close cooperation between the two governments aimed at strengthening economic ties.

Pashinyan and Raisi also spoke about the processes taking place in the region. The leaders of Armenia and Iran agreed to continue high-level contacts between the two countries.

During the conversation, Raisi emphasized Iran’s full support of territorial sovereignty of Armenia.

“One of the key policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries. In this regard, Tehran supports the sovereignty of Armenia over all territories and roads passing through that country,” the office quoted Raisi as telling Pashinyan.

Raisi spoke with Pashinyan five days after his government decided to open an Iranian consulate in Syunik’s administrative center, Kapan.

Armenian pundits and politicians welcomed the decision. Vartan Voskanyan, one of the country’s leading Iran experts, said it shows “just how important Syunik is to official Tehran in the context of Armenian-Iranian relations.”

A statement issued by Raisi’s office said Pashinyan briefed the Iranian president on the talks with Baku.

It also cited both leaders as stressing the need to deepen commercial ties between Armenia and Iran. An Armenian-Iranian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation should take “big steps” in that direction, Raisi said, according to the statement.

During the talk the Iranian President congratulated the Prime Minister and the Armenian people on the occasion of New Year and Holy Christmas.

In his turn, Pashinyan conveyed congratulations on the New Year and Christmas to the Iranian Christians and thanked Iran for creating all the necessary conditions for the preservation of the Armenian identity in Iran.