General information

The Islamic Republic of Iran officially recognised the independance of Armenia on the 25th of December, 1991.

A declaration on establishing diplomatic relations between Armenia and Iran was signed in Tehran on the 9th of February, 1992.

On the same day ''The Declaration on Principles and Aims of Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran '' was signed to assure the Parties' intention to establish friendly relations.

The solemn opening ceremony of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran took place in Yerevan, in April 1992.

In December, 1992, the embassy of the Republic of Armenia was opened in Tehran.

Iran, as one of the key Middle East states, set out to establish multi-dimensional relations with the newly independent states of the South Caucasus in 1992. Since then, Armenia and Iran have gradually formed and developed political and economic multilateral cooperation.

Visits

To Iran

To Armenia

Trade and economic relations

After Armenia's independence, effective cooperation with Iran has been particularly focused on energy, transport, environmental protection, inter-regional, scientific-educational and cultural spheres.

Implemented projects

1996, a bridge connecting Iran with Armenia, built on Arax River

2005, wind power stations in Pushkin mountain pass

2007 October, Meghri-Shvanidzor-Tsav-Daravan road: an alternative road connecting Meghri with Kapan has a length of 91 km

2007, Opening of First Section of Iran-Armenia Gas Pipeline The agreement on the construction of a 140km long and 700mm diameter pipeline was signed in 2004.

2008 November, end of construction of the second section of the pipeline. Armenia had to return to Iran three kilowatt hours of electricity for 1 cubic meter of imported gas.

One of the projects implemented in energy cooperation is the first and second lines of Armenia-Iran high-voltage power transmission line. Construction of the 400-kV high-speed 3 line line is scheduled for completion in September 2019.

2016 the gas supply program for the border villages of Iran was implemented.

The Armenian and Iranian sides make efforts to record new achievements in bilateral economic cooperation, such as increasing the volume of Iranian gas to Armenia, the North-South (Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Russia) energy system, construction of wind power stations in Armenia (50 megawatt establishment of cooperation in the field of free economic zones, establishment of Persian Gulf-Black Sea route by Armenia and development of necessary infrastructures.

Current Projects:

1. Gas-electricity exchange / 1 million cubic meters of gas per day/ - is implemented
2. Expansion of the gas-energy exchange program (up to 2 million m3 / per day)
3. Construction of the third Armenia-Iran Electricity Transmission Line - the completion of construction is delayed, the implementation of the project will dramatically increase the volume of gas and electricity sales and exchanges
4. Creation of Meghri Free Economic Zone – in a stage of implementation. The launch of the FEZ was given in December 2017
5. Iranian gas transit to Georgia
6. Construction of North-South Highway (Iran's borderline section)
7. Turkmenistan-Iran-Armenia gas exchange (SWAP) - is under discussion
8. Hydroelectric power station construction on Arax River - is in the stage of negotiations
9. Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Russia Electricity Quarterly Cooperation - a memorandum has been signed in 2015
10. EAEU-Iran Cooperation - an "Agreement on the Creation of a Free Economic Zone" between the EAEU Member States and the Islamic Republic of Iran was signed in May 2018, the agreement is in the ratification phase
11. "Persian Gulf - Black Sea Corridor" - is under discussion
12. Activation of multimodal transit transportations through the territory of the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran- is under discussion

A memorandum of mutual understanding on visa exemption was signed in Tehran on June 5,2016 which was another step promoting the development of political and trade-economic relations between Armenia and Iran.

Arrivals from Iran to Armenia

Armenia-Iran Trade Volume 2015-2018

Iran is in the 6th place among the foreign trade partners of the Republic of Armenia.

Despite the fact that more than 5000 Iranian companies, mainly private entrepreneurs, are registered in Armenia by 2018, the Iranian investments in Armenia and the Armenian investments in Iran prove that the potential of the Armenian-Iranian trade and economic relations is not fully realized.

Main exporting products are electricity, meat, wood, metal waste.

Main imported products are gas, oil products, polymers, fertilizers, building materials.

The Armenian-Iranian intergovernmental commission is engaged in the coordination and implementation of bilateral economic cooperation issues and programs, the sessions of which are annually convened in the capitals of the two countries. In 1995, the first session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Coordination of Armenian-Iranian Relations was convened. The intergovernmental 15th session took place in Yerevan on February 27, 2018.

Since 1992, over 180 documents have been signed between the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, which regulate relations between the RA and IRI Ministries and other state structures.

Updated in 05.04.2019