Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has arrived in the Islamic Republic of Iran on a working visit. After the official welcoming ceremony at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport, the Prime Minister headed to the Iranian Presidential Palace, where IRI President-elect Ebrahim Raisi greeted him.

During their meeting the Iranian President thanked Prime Minister Pashinyan for accepting the invitation and arriving in Iran on a working visit, adding that Iran is keen to continuously develop relations with friendly Armenia in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres.

In turn, Nikol Pashinyan thanked Ebrahim Raisi for the warm hospitality and reiterated his congratulations on being elected President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Armenian Prime Minister stressed that as underpinned by mutual respect and understanding, the ongoing multifaceted cooperation with Iran is of primary importance to our country.

“The centuries-old friendship of our two peoples, the close historical and cultural relations is a solid basis for the furtherance of interaction. We are prepared to continue our dialogue through joint efforts and further enrich the agenda of bilateral cooperation. The fact that I am here today testifies to our commitment to deepen relations and strengthen cooperation between Armenia and Iran at the highest level,” Prime Minister Pashinyan said.

In the context of strengthening the Armenian-Iranian bilateral ties, the Prime Minister stressed the key role of the Armenian community of Iran and thanked the IRI government for providing all necessary opportunities to preserve the national identity.

The leaders of Armenia and Iran discussed a wide range of issues related to the strengthening of trade and economic ties. In particular, the parties attached importance to the operations of the Meghri free economic zone and the opportunities provided by Iran’s free trade regime with the EAEU. The parties described the development of regional communications as a priority, noting that the development of transport and communication from the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea will be of key importance.

Welcoming the Iranian side’s interest in the North-South Highway Project, Nikol Pashinyan added that the Armenian government is prepared to discuss the participation of Iranian construction companies in the international tender for construction of the Sisian-Meghri highway section.

Nikol Pashinyan and Ebrahim Raisi next referred to the opportunities for developing cooperation in the energy sector. In particular, they discussed the steps taken to start the construction of the Iran-Armenia 400 kV transmission line, highlighted the extension of the gas-electricity exchange program, the increase of gas-electricity exchange volumes after the operation of the third high-voltage line.

The Prime Minister of Armenia stressed the importance of Iran’s consistent efforts to establish peace and stability in the region. In turn, Ebrahim Raisi said that maintaining peace in the region is of key importance for Iran, and went on to note that the Iranian side considers it necessary to resolve all issues through dialogue.

Nikol Pashinyan and Ebrahim Raisi next discussed issues related to the implementation of joint new programs in the fields of healthcare, advanced technologies, education, science and culture.

In conclusion, Ebrahim Raisi wished Prime Minister Pashinyan strength, energy and vigor in the cause of developing Armenia and implementing the proposed objectives. Nikol Pashinyan thanked the Iranian President for his kind remarks and invited President Raisi to visit Armenia, which was accepted with pleasure.

The interlocutors instructed the heads of the relevant departments to work closely to advance various issues on the agenda of the Armenian-Iranian cooperation. Later today Nikol Pashinyan will attend the official inauguration ceremony of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.