20:35,

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahe Gevorgyan participated in the 7th Ministerial Meeting of the Ancient Civilizations Forum held in Tehran. The delegations from Armenia, Bolivia, China, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Iran, Iraq and Mexico participated in the meeting chaired by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran.

Following the meeting, the Foreign Minister of Iran Hossein Amir Abdollahian welcomed the heads of delegations from member-states and delivered a concluding speech, the foreign ministry has said.

In his statement, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahe Gevorgyan highly valued the centuries-old cultural ties between Armenia and Iran and the bilateral cooperation on protection of cultural heritage. The Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized the role of the Forum as a platform for cultural dialogue and cooperation, aimed at preservation and popularization of the rich cultural heritage of ancient civilizations.

According to the source, Vahe Gevorgyan presented the policy of deliberate destruction and alteration of the identity of Armenian monuments, churches, and holy sites in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Deputy Foreign Minister stressed the importance of support from international partners to prevent the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage. In this regard, the urgent need to deploy UNESCO's independent expert mission to Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent territories was underscored.

The Forum's Ministerial Meeting was concluded with the adoption of the Tehran Declaration, outlining provisions on protecting cultural heritage in conflict situations and fostering international cooperation in this field.