Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Mrs. Anna Hakobyan visited the St. Amenaprkich Monastic complex in Isfahan, where they met with Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Isfahan, Bishop Sipan Kechejian.

As they toured the monastic complex, the Prime Minister and his spouse visited the local museum to get acquainted with the latter’s history. Then, Nikol Pashinyan and his delegation called at Ararat Club in Isfahan and met with thousands of representatives of the local Armenian community. The latter welcomed Prime Minister Pashinyan with warmth and heated applause.

Addressing those present, Nikol Pashinyan stated, in part: “Because the word “proud” was talked about here, I think it has experienced some meaningful change. Yes, the Bible says that pride is a sin, but I think arrogance is meant there. Pride in modern language is used to describe people with strong legs, a solid backbone, working hands. Proud citizens, proud Armenians of New Julfa, I greet you.

Indeed, this is a historical hub for Armenians, and due to political and geopolitical circumstances, a large part of the population of the First Republic of Armenia settled in Isfahan and established New Jugha. Actually, yes, people turned away from Armenia, but New Jugha became a true home for the Armenian people's cultural revival. Indeed, these were geopolitically bad times, and after migration, the territory of the Republic of Armenia was in a difficult situation; it was subject to continued wars, and New Jugha became the place where the Armenian people developed their culture.

The St. Amenaprkich Monastery is one of the most exclusive churches in which a unique pattern of Armenian frescoes is preserved. It is supposed that we have had similar masterpieces in Eastern and Western Armenia, but time has been ruthless about cultural heritage. I want to thank you for preserving these priceless treasures of Armenian culture for our people, this is a part of our identity, pride and greatness of the greatness. Thank you for keeping the Armenian identity and the Armenian dream to return to Armenia.

I also want to thank you for being so Armenian and Armenian that you have been able to become full-fledged citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who have served the empowerment and prosperity of this friendly nation. Thank you for being full-fledged, dignified and proud citizens of Iran. The fact that Armenian delegations enjoy a top-level welcome here is the result of your selfless service to friendly relations.

As far as history is concerned, I want to emphasize that it is really important to us. I am glad to see the atmosphere in New Jugha, Tehran, Paris, Cologne, the exclusive national unity that we have after the non-violent, velvet, popular revolution in the Republic of Armenia. I am convinced that you consider this people’s revolution a personal victory, because it is the victory of the people, every son of the Armenian people has invested in that victory.

I would like to thank you for your civic victory because we have made a huge step on the way to implementing our long-cherished dreams. I also want to greet you today as the victorious proud citizens. Today most of you are not citizens of Armenia, but community representatives told me that many of you will be proud citizens of Armenia tomorrow and that is the most important and big dream we have to accomplish.

When speaking about it, first of all I think about history, and that conversation leads to the idea that the mission we have to fulfill is historic literally, not figurative. I have always thought that we, the Armenians have the task of overcoming the historical cycle that has accompanied us from the times of Arshakuni. What do I mean? I mean the continued loss of statehood when we proved deprived of statehood for the most part and for a long time after the fall of the dynasty of Arshakuni. When I think about our collective historical mission, my first thought is to overcome the cycle when we lost statehood, dreamed about it, restored it and lost it again.

Speaking about our historic mission in this historic community, it should be underlined that it is one of the proofs of our own history and its logic. A representative of your community under the new heap of applauds declared that they are dreaming of repatriation and proofreading our history.

You came here when our state was not strong enough to protect our ancestors. I often refer to King Pap because I think about the time when our story went wrong throwing us into an endless circle of disaster. I think King Pap was the one to give us the opportunity to change the status of Armenia and the Armenian people. Something went wrong since then, because at that time we were not so receptive about the historical events, we were united, we did not have a common consciousness.

Our millennial trials have led us to a point where we have grown up as a mighty nation. We have to maintain our identity, unshakable unity and do not pay tribute to foreigners. We must get rid of those politicians in the Republic of Armenia, who are foreign agents rather than citizens of their own country.

We as people will no longer allow condemnation to our statehood, we will not allow anyone to use a coin in its geopolitical games to allow our own brothers to use to destroy, demolish and weaken our state. Because this is the exclusive time of the unity of the Armenian people and we must return to 374 years and not allow the greatest conspiracy against our people.

We will not allow anybody to think that the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh can be taken away because we are proud citizens of the Republic of Armenia, proud citizens of the Republic of Artsakh, we are the descendants of Tigran the Great, we are the descendants of King Pap.

The non-violent, velvet, popular revolution in Armenia was carried out under the slogan “We are the masters of our country;” while the revolution in the Armenian people’s historical destiny must come around under the slogan “We are the master of our destiny.” Every one of us, the prime minister, the minister, the deputy or the builder, should realize his exceptional historical role in Armenia and the Diaspora. When I speak about our historical role, I do not mean the historical role of the prime minister, the government, the National Assembly, or any state body, but I speak of every Armenian’s historical role. I want to get your authority to announce that every Armenian is his historical mission and proud to bear his or her historical mission.

The Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Artsakh, must exist on the planet Earth and become even stronger. It no longer comes as a temporary state; we have created it with our own hands, blood and sweat, and we will keep this state with our own blood, sweat, labor and mind because the Armenian nation is a powerful people,

Therefore, long live freedom! Long live the Armenian-Iranian friendship! Long live the Republic of Armenia! Long live our children and we who are living and will live in a free and happy Armenia.”

The official visit of the Prime Minister-led government delegation to the Islamic Republic of Iran is over.