The government delegation headed by Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan is on a two-day visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran. This visit in Armenia gives hope that economic relations will eventually move from the dead point.
“We are very interested in Iranian business and Iranian capital demand coming to Armenia. We are ready to provide openly the privileged regimes that Armenia has to our Iranian partners,” Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan said at a joint news conference with Iranian First Deputy Chairman Es’haq Jahangiri.
Iranian expert Vardan Voskanyan ties great hopes of developing relations. “Economic relations are the most vulnerable part of Armenia-Iran relations, because in our political sense our two countries have no obstacles and maintain very high level of relations.”
In the framework of the Prime Minister’s visit memorandums, veterinary, fiction, cultural and scientific-technical fields were signed. The steps of the more extensive economic programs are also being taken. Free economic zones are being created on the Armenia-Iran border. That’s something that can direct the flow of Iranian investments to Armenia. “It can also be a platform for the European and the Russian sides to settle here and to cooperate with Iran in more favorable conditions.”
According to Vardan Voskanyan, investors were found to build Armenia-Iran railroad. Additionally, Armenia builds the third high-voltage power line to Iran, after which Iran’s gas exports to Armenia will increase 3-5 times. Next project to be implemented is export of Iranian gas to Europe via Armenia. “Obviously, Iran is going to implement a program for exporting its gas Europe, and it would be great if it were done through Armenia, with the participation of the Russian side,” said the Iranian expert.
On the one hand, Armenia and Iran are taking steps to warm economic relations, on the other hand, the US President Donald Trump threatens to restore sanctions against Armenia’s southern neighbor. “The Iranian administration supports terrorism and Middle East exports of violence, bloodshed and chaos.Therefore, we must end Iran’s ongoing aggression and nuclear invasion,” said Donald Trump.
If the US President does not exacerbate the position and sanctions on Iran be restored, will Iran-Armenia economic ties be again in a deadlock? Iranian expert Vardan Voskanyan said “Armenia-Iran relations have vital and security significance for us. Armenia should have relations with Iran exclusively through its own system, and there will be pressures from different sides, but it is obvious that our relations with Iran have a vital importance both for us and for Iran. We solve the problem of our existence.”
Under these conditions, the Armenian government’s right work is required, which should make the United States be aware of Iran’s supremacy for the country. Armenia is not safe without powerful Iran, and Iran is not strong without developed Armenia.