Dear Mr. Minister,

Dear colleagues,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am pleased to host Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, my very good friend and colleague Seyyed Abbas Araghchi in Yerevan today. Taking the opportunity, I would like to congratulate my colleague and the friendly people of Iran on Nowruz - the holiday symbolizing new life and awakening. I must note that this is certainly not the first meeting between myself and the minister. We have met and cooperated on international platforms, and this is Mr. Araghchi's first visit to Armenia as Foreign Minister, so, Mr. Minister, I thank you for accepting the invitation and for today's comprehensive discussions.

Dear Colleagues,

I must note with satisfaction that relations between Armenia and friendly Iran continue to develop steadily, which is one of the priorities of our government's regional policy. There are periodic effective engagements and mutual visits not only between our two ministries but also across all sectoral ministries. The rich agenda of relations with Iran includes almost all areas of life - political dialogue, economy, transport, energy, educatio, science, and culture. I am happy to note that we have made progress in all these areas, and I am confident that the deepening of bilateral cooperation will continue.

In discussions with Minister Araghchi, we emphasized the importance of economic cooperation between the two countries, which has recorded tangible successes, especially in recent years. We can note that in 2024, our bilateral trade turnover has exceeded the indicators of at least the past five years, and this is an important result. Today, we continued discussions about the possibilities of bringing trade turnover between the two countries to 3 billion US dollars. In this context, it should be noted that the existing bilateral trade opportunities have been complemented by the free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran.

I would like to note that Iran is participating in the implementation of Armenia's economic infrastructure projects, which have not only economic but indeed strategic significance. The 32 km Qajaran-Agarak road section, the construction of which has been entrusted to an Iranian company, is an important component of the "Crossroads of Peace" project. Thus, we can state that Iran was not only one of the first states to welcome our "Crossroads of Peace" project but is also practically involved in bringing the project to life.

Dear attendees,

Alongside the discussion on bilateral topics, with my colleague we  also touched upon regional realities and developments. I presented the latest developments regarding border delimitation with Azerbaijan and, of course, the process of concluding the Peace Treaty. I once again emphasized Armenia's commitment to establishing long-term peace and stability in the region, emphasizing that a key milestone in this process could be the signing of the already fully agreed text of the  Peace Treaty. Taking the opportunity, I express gratitude to friendly Iran for welcoming the finalization of the text of the Peace Treaty and emphasizing the importance of signing. We have repeatedly emphasized that we highly appreciate the clear position of Iran regarding the inviolability of territorial integrity and  the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia. For both Iran and Armenia, the inviolability of the border between our states is of vital importance.

Today we had the opportunity to discuss in detail several other issues on the international agenda. I emphasized the readiness of Yerevan to contribute to dialogue between our other friendly states and Iran.

Dear attendees,

Of course, today I was particularly pleased to host the presentation of Minister Araghchi's book "The Power of Negotiation" in the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dear Mr. Minister,

I must reaffirm that Armenia values friendship with Iran, including as the best manifestation of a strong connection between two civilizations, and highly appreciates the close cooperation between the two countries. I am hopeful that we will continue to take steps to bring to life projects aimed at realizing the potential between our countries, for the prosperity of both countries and peoples.

I thank you again and gladly pass the floor to you.

Question (Sputnik Armenia): My question is probably for both ministers. You said that the issue of cargo transportation was also discussed. I want to inquire whether the issue of diesel fuel price increase for Armenian truck drivers at the border was discussed - there was a significant price increase that caused great dissatisfaction among drivers. I believe you have already discussed this once, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that expert groups should be created to discuss this issue. Are there any updates or vision on how this issue should be resolved?

Answer (Ararat Mirzoyan): Yes, we have been working in this direction. The expert groups or the working group has been working in this direction. We almost have a formula that will offer certain simplifications and more convenience for both countries, for both cargo transporters and drivers. The activities will be finalized soon, and I want to note that we are very close to finalization. When it is finalized, we will naturally make it public.

Question (Radio Azatutyun): Mr. Mirzoyan, have there been consultations with Azerbaijan regarding the deadlines of the signing  of the Peace Treaty? Is there an agreement on when the Treaty will be signed, or is Baku not renouncing preconditions, and in that case, what will Yerevan do? Thank you.

Answer (Ararat Mirzoyan): You have been following the developments. Immediately after the announcement that the text of the Peace Treaty was agreed upon, official Yerevan proposed starting consultations to determine the place, time and other details of the signing. At this moment, we are not hearing the same willingness from official Baku. You rightly noted that in parallel with and after the finalization of the text of the Peace Treaty, Azerbaijan again sees or imagines certain other preconditions. What should we do? We must continue to work, negotiate and find mutually acceptable solutions, dignified solutions and solutions that ensure long-term peace. There is no alternative. At this moment, there is no understanding of where and when it will be signed. We want to say once again: we are ready to start that process as quickly as possible and put our signature.