FM Regards Security of Iran, Armenia as Interconnected

"Our policy revolves around respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity (of other nations)," the top Iranian diplomat said on Friday after inaugurating Iran’s Consulate General in the southern Armenian city of Kapan, emphasizing that the Iranian Embassy in Yerevan will do its best to expand economic cooperation between the two nations.

The foreign minister also expressed pleasure over establishment of the diplomatic mission and thanked his colleagues at the Iranian foreign ministry and its diplomats in Armenia for their contribution to the development, Press TV reported.

Iran's decision to open the new diplomatic mission points to the "time-honored" quality of the ties between the two countries, Amirabdollahian noted, announcing Iran’s readiness for hosting an Armenian consulate general in the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz.

"We consider Armenia to be an important north-south transit route," the foreign minister said, insisting that Tehran would try to facilitate and expedite transportation of people and commodities across the conduit.

For his part, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan said he could "confidently" describe the opening of the Iranian Consulate General as an important development towards enhancement of mutual relations.

"Today is an important day for Iran-Armenia's historical and age-old ties as well as the good-neighborliness (that exists) between the countries," he added.

Describing the 30-year-old ties between Tehran and Yerevan as “strategic,” Mirzoyan then emphasized, "I am positive that much effort is going to be expended from now on towards (boosting the) beneficial and advantageous (nature of the) relations," between the countries.

He also welcomed Tehran’s intention to allow opening of an Armenian diplomatic mission in Tabriz, reiterating that "Iran has always been and will continue to be Armenia's partner."