On January 27, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ara Aivazian held a meeting with Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Foreign Minister of Iran, who arrived in Armenia within his regional visit. The meeting of the Foreign Ministers commenced with a tete a tete conversation, then continued in an expanded format with the participation of delegations.

Welcoming his colleague, the delegation he headed, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ara Aivazian particularly mentioned: The Armenian-Iranian agenda is, indeed, quite comprehensive, based on the centuries-old friendship uniting our two peoples. This friendship is the best example of intercultural dialogue, an example of  different religions and civilizations living side by side, based on mutual trust and respect. That is the key for achieving peace and stability in the region.

Expressing gratitude for the warm reception, the Foreign Minister of Iran noted that Iran greatly values friendly relations with Armenia. “Iran and Armenia, as two ancient civilizations, have always had good relations based on friendship and neighborly relations. As two ancient civilizations, we have had many ups and downs, but we have always overcome them with honor. Our history counts much more than days, months, years, even centuries, and along that history we stood firm, have been and remained friends. Our borders have always been the borders of friendship, cooperation, and we are sure that they will continue to be so.”

Touching upon the issues of bilateral agenda, the interlocutors commended the high dynamics of the existing political dialogue, emphasizing the possibility for further intensifying the contacts and mutual visits at different levels. Both sides expressed willingness to make joint efforts to further strengthen and expand mutually beneficial cooperation in areas of mutual interest. In this context, the Foreign Ministers stressed the importance of the full utilization of the existing potential in the Armenian-Iranian trade and economic relations and the activity of the Armenian-Iranian intergovernmental joint commission.

Ministers Aivazian and Zarif exchanged views in detail on the regional security and stability. Both sides expressed concern over the deployment of foreign terrorist fighters in the region. From the perspective of regional peace, security and stability, Minister Aivazian emphasized the close cooperation with Iran and expressed readiness to expand the dialogue in this direction.

The Foreign Minister of Iran invited his Armenian counterpart to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran.