TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has sent a message to his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan congratulating him on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In the message, Amir Abdollahian reminded Iran was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of the Republic of Armenia and to establish official diplomatic relations with the country.

He added that during the past year, relations between Iran and Armenia have been expanded and boosted in various fields, and with the signing of numerous documents, the legal basis for cooperation has also been strengthened, the Iranian foreign ministry said. 

The Iranian foreign minister stressed the determination of the Islamic Republic of Iran to further bolster bilateral and regional cooperation with the Republic of Armenia.

Iran officially recognized the independence of Armenia on the 25th of December, 1991. A declaration on establishing diplomatic relations between Armenia and Iran was signed in Tehran on the 9th of February, 1992, according to the Armenian foreign ministry.

On the same day “The Declaration on Principles and Aims of Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran” was signed to assure the Parties' intention to establish friendly relations.

The solemn opening ceremony of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran took place in Yerevan in April 1992.

In December 1992, the embassy of the Republic of Armenia was opened in Tehran.

In late November last year, Mirzoyan held a phone conversation with Amir Abdollahian. The foreign ministers of Armenia and Iran discussed issues of mutual interest related to regional security. They also discussed the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. 

In this call, Mirzoyan highly appreciated Iran's position on territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of Armenia, according to the Armenian foreign ministry. 

Amir Abdollahian and Mirzoyan also exchanged views on expanding the contacts in the fields of trade, economy, infrastructure and energy.

Implementation of directed work aimed at the multilateral agreement on the establishment of the "Persian Gulf-Black Sea" international transport corridor was also emphasized.

During the 2020 war in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Iran actively worked to ensure peace in the region and presented a peace initiative. Iranian officials paid visits to Baku and Yerevan in a bid to put an end to the war.

Iran underlined the need to refrain from changing the internationally recognized borders in the region.