On September 15, the Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian paid an official visit to Tehran.
The Armenian Foreign Minister was received by the President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Nalbandian delivered the message and best wishes of the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan to the President of Iran.
The President of Iran and the Foreign Minister of Armenia expressed satisfaction with the developing comprehensive cooperation between the two countries and underlined that recently bilateral mutual visits on a high level have activated, efficient economic cooperation has been established, as well as a wide legal field exists between the two countries and there is a bilateral readiness to more develop the interaction.
The Iranian President and the Armenian Foreign Minister discussed the process of implementation of agreements reached during the official visit of the President of Armenia to Tehran in April 2009.
The Armenian Foreign Minister commended the solicitous treatment of the Iranian authorities toward the Armenian community.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asked to deliver his warm greetings and best wishes to the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.
On the same day in the capital of Iran Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met with the Foreign Minister of Iran Manouchehr Mottaki.
Welcoming the Armenian Foreign Minister, the Foreign Minister of Iran mentioned that the friendly relations established between the two neighbouring countries during the history are strengthening day by day.
Edward Nalbandian, expressing gratitude for the invitation to visit Tehran and the warm reception, stressed that the official visit of the President of Armenia to Iran in April 2009, the agreements reached during that visit and signed documents gave a new stimulus to the cooperation between the two friendly countries.
In the course of the meeting, the Ministers discussed issues of agenda of bilateral relations: political, economic, decentralized and cultural cooperation, as well as joint projects that are being implemented and are planned, especially in the areas of energy and transport.
The Ministers of Armenia and Iran reaffirmed the determination to develop bilateral relations based on mutual benefits by mentioning that the frequency of high-level mutual visits promotes the more strengthening of cooperation.
The Ministers touched upon the activities of the Armenian-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission, which has an important role in the economic cooperation, elaboration and implementation of joint programmes.
Within the context of cultural exchanges they attached importance to the mutual organization of cultural days; the Ministers exchanged views on the ways of promoting tourism.
The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Iran also touched upon regional issues. Minister Nalbandian mentioned that Armenia always expresses for the strengthening of long-lasting peace and stability in the region, for the settlement of problems only by peaceful means through negotiations and dialogue.
On Manouchehr Mottaki’s request, Edward Nalbandian presented the process of settlement of the Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) issue by attaching importance to Iran’s balanced and constructive position in that issue.
The Iranian Foreign Minister informed his Armenian counterpart on the developments over the Iran’s nuclear programme, the negotiations held with the international community on that issue. Within that context Minister Nalbandian mentioned that Armenian is attentively following the events over the nuclear programme of Iran and hopes that through the joint efforts Iran and the international community could reach a mutually acceptable solution.
The meeting of Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Iran was followed by the joint press conference, after which the discussions continued within the format of working dinner.
In Tehran Minister Nalbandian also had a meeting with Saeed Jalili, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran.
Edward Nalbandian and Saeed Jalili had a discussion on the different areas of bilateral relations.
The Minister and the Secretary touched upon the cooperation established between the Security Councils of the two countries.
In the course of the meeting they exchanged views on the issues of maintaining security in the region.
On Saeed Jalili’s request, Edward Nalbandian presented the recent developments in the process of settlement of the Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) issue.
On the same day in the evening Edward Nalbandian visited the residence of Iranian Armenian Diocese, where he had a meeting with the representatives of the Iranian Armenian community, whom he presented the developments that took place in the field of Armenia’s foreign policy, as well as answered the numerous questions of Iranian Armenians’ concern.