Fars News Agency, Iran
May 6 2007
Armenians Adore Iran
TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Armenia’s ambassador to Tehran said that
Iran’s popularity has been on the increase among his fellow citizens
due to Islamic Republic’s policy and specially after a ceremony held
by Iran in the city of Isfahan to honor the memory of Armenian
martyrs.
Speaking during a meeting with Isfahan’s mayor, the envoy pointed to
the two countries’ positive relations, and praised the Iranian people
and government’s support for Armenians and settlement of Armenian
families in the city of Isfahan.
He further said that mutual ties between Isfahan and Yerevan as
sister cities would result in all-out and sustainable development of
both cities, and reminded that the positive ties between the two
nations in the past centuries have caused proximity of the two
countries’ cultures and arts.
"Existence of monuments with Islamic and Iranian architecture in
Armenia substantiates the same fact," Nazarian continued.
He further proposed arrangement of Armenia’s cultural week in
Isfahan, and pointed out that his country’s art, painting, music and
handicrafts have always received a wide welcome among Iranians,
saying that arrangement of cultural weeks by the two countries would
serve as a significant step in the expansion of cultural ties between
the two nations.
The ambassador also appreciated Isfahan’s municipality for rendering
support and paying attention to the Armenian population residing in
the city, and said, "Holding of the ceremony to commemorate Armenian
martyrs in the city of Isfahan has received a wide coverage in the
Armenian press and among people, and the very same supports and
relations have increased Iran’s popularity among Armenian nation."
For his part, Isfahan’s mayor viewed the two countries’ relations as
positive and constructive, and said that the inauguration ceremony
for the start of operation of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline which was
attended by the two countries’ presidents illustrated the depth of
the two countries’ relations.
He expressed the hope that the two countries’ ties would expand to
such other areas as education, trade and tourism.
Seyed Morteza Sagha’eyan further described age-old settlement of
Armenians in Isfahan as an indication of the affinity of the city’s
Muslim population for the followers of other religions, and said that
Isfahan’s municipality has repaired and reconstructed one of the
well-known districts in the city, where Muslims and Armenians conduct
a peaceful life alongside each other, to preserve the area as a
precious gem displaying coexistence among divine religions.
He also reminded that Isfahan was selected as the cultural capital
city of the world of Islam in 2006, and said, "In addition to its
cultural and historical potentials, Isfahan is an influential and
active city in grounds of education, commerce and industry, and thus,
we are prepared to exchange information and experiences with sister
cities, particularly with Yerevan.
The mayor further stressed the need for the enhancement of relations
between Isfahan and Yerevan, and underlined that all city officials
insist on the implementation of the contents of Isfahan-Yerevan
sister city contract and utilization of all other potentials in order
to enhance ties between the two cities, saying that the move would
yield benefits to both sides.