Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Armenia on August 18 for a two-day official visit. In Yerevan, he held a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, after which the talks continued in an expanded format. The parties summed up the results at a joint press conference.

Pezeshkian stressed that security and settlement issues in the South Caucasus should be resolved by the countries of the region themselves, without the intervention of external powers.

“We believe that governance in the region should remain Caucasian, and transferring problems to powers outside it only complicates the situation,” he noted.

According to the Iranian president, Tehran consistently supports the territorial integrity of Armenia and opposes the use of force. He added that peace talks between Yerevan and Baku are of strategic importance for Iran.

Pashinyan, in turn, stated that the inviolability of international borders and reliable communication between Armenia and Iran are vital for both countries. He noted that the time has come to elevate bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership.
The Prime Minister said that he familiarized Pezeshkian with the latest agreements on the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement, including the opening of transport communications. According to him, this will create new opportunities for railway communication between Armenia and Iran, as well as provide access to the Black Sea. Pashinyan especially emphasized that all communication routes passing through the territory of Armenia will be exclusively under its jurisdiction, and it is Armenia, and not a third country, that will be responsible for their security.

In addition, Armenia and Iran intend to build a second bridge on the border, which, according to the Prime Minister, will be an important step in the development of economic cooperation.