TEHRAN — Defense Minister Suren Papikyan discussed with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Reza Ashtiani Armenian-Iranian military cooperation and security in the South Caucasus during an official visit to Tehran on Wednesday.
The agenda included discussions on the present state of cooperation in the defense sector and prospects for future development. Both ministers exchanged views on international and regional issues, reiterating their commitment to establishing long-term peace and stability in the South Caucasus region.
The Armenian Defense Ministry said that during their meeting the two men reached “a number of understandings on issues of mutual interest.” It did not elaborate.
The Iranian Mehr news agency reported that regional security was the main focus of the talks. It said Ashtiani reaffirmed Iran’s support for the “internationally recognized borders” of Armenia and other regional states.
According to Mehr, Ashtiani also voiced support for “direct negotiations” between Armenia and Azerbaijan and said only the regional countries should deal with peace and stability in the region. “Any approach contrary to this policy is not acceptable in any way,” the Iranian minister was cited as saying.
