Iran Favors Sustainable Peace in Caucasus - Shamkhani

By Staff, Agencies

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani expressed the country’s support for efforts to ensure sustainable peace in the Caucasus region.

In a meeting with Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan, held in Yerevan on Thursday, Shamkhani emphasized that durable security in the region would not prevail without sustainable stability in the Caucasus.

He also reiterated Iran’s readiness to employ its capacities to contribute to the establishment of sustainable peace in the South Caucasus region.

Hailing the deep and age-old cultural and civilizational bonds between Iran and Armenia and the support that the two nations have provided for each other under tough regional and international conditions, Shamkhani said there should not be any limits to the development of bilateral ties.

He also called for plans to elevate the volume of economic exchanges between the two neighboring states considering their considerable potential.

For his part, Grigoryan stressed the need for the promotion of ties between Armenia and Iran at all levels.

Highlighting the significance of plans to broaden the economic and trade interaction with Iran, the Armenian official said the major projects include the transfer of electricity between the two countries and swapping Turkmenistan's natural gas to Armenia.

As he lauded Iran’s significant role in the enhancement of relations among the South Caucasus nations and ensuring regional security, Grigoryan asked the Islamic Republic to keep having a role in strengthening sustainable security in the region.

Shamkhani arrived in Yerevan on Thursday morning as part of a tour of the Caucasus.

He is set to hold a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to discuss bilateral, regional, and international issues and the plans for cooperation between Tehran and Yerevan to ensure regional security and stability.