20 YEARS OF ARMENIAN-IRANIAN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AS ASSESSED BY AMBASSADOR OF THE TWO COUNTRIES
Nvard Davtyan
“Radiolur”
18.01.2012 17:37
Armenia and Iran will soon mark the 20th anniversary of diplomatic
relations. As it is known, a new stage of Armenian-Iranian cooperaton
started on the very first day of Armenia’s independence. The
Ambassadors of the two countries have assessed the current level and
the perspectives of development of bilateral ties.
“In a short historic period we have managed to create rather good
bases for further cooperation,” Armenian Ambassador to Iran Grigor
Arakelyan said. He is confident there are no unsolvable issues between
the two countries.
“We have implemented very important joint projects. We have constructed
the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, which plays an important role in
ensuring the energy independence of Armenia. We are preparing to
construct the third power line, which will supply electric energy
to Iran in exchange for gas. There are serious perspectives for the
growth of commodity turnover,” the Armenian Ambassador said, adding
that construction of the railway is another promising program.
According to Iran’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to
Armenia, Seid Ali Saghaian, the relations have been steadily developing
during the past twenty years. The Ambassador emphasized the role of
the Iranian Armenian community here, and attached importance to the
issue of lifting the visa regime.
“According to the results of the past ten months, the commodity
turnover between Armenia and Iran totaled $300 mln, which makes
Armenia the forth economic partner of Iran,” he said.
“If the development of economic relations depends on the governments
of the two countries, then the development of cultural ties mostly
depends on peoples,” Seid Ali Saghaian said, stressing the importance
of development of historical-cultural ties.
As for the nuclear programs of Iran, which have been widely discussed
in the recent period, the Ambassador said “they pursue exceptionally
peaceful purposes.”
“All the issues the Western countries, particularly the US, create,
pursue political purposes. The reason is clear. They cannot accept
that our country has managed to acquire nuclear technology thanks
to its scientists and uses it for peaceful purposes. It means a
defeat to them. Iran’s nuclear programs are 100% peaceful and all
the accusations of the West have no ground,” the Ambassador stated.