Tehran, IRNA – The Iran government, in the meeting dated January 8, 1400, based on Article (138) of the Constitution, agreed with the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue a license to establish a Consulate General in the city of Kapan, Armenia, in compliance with the relevant laws and regulations.
Kapan, also known as Qapan, is a region in southern Armenia, which is the largest city and the capital of Syunik Province. This province borders Iran and is connected to Iran's Nordoz customs through Meghri Customs of Armenia. Due to the existence of many mines in Kapan, during the Qajar dynsty this city was called "Mines" and it was renamed to Kapan in 1991. This city is located 316 km from Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, and Iranians who go to Yerevan by land pass through Kapan. Iranian trucks also enter Armenia from the Nordoz border and reach the Eurasian region from the Kapan and Goris transportation axis.
The reason for establishing a consulate general of a country in another country is to help and support its citizens, issue passports or travel documents and deal with their problems. In addition to consular activities, the main role of consulates is to promote trade and facilitate transportation through establishing relationships with economic companies. The establishment of the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kapan is considered a necessary and constructive measure in the field of Iran's foreign relations for the following reasons.
1- The Moscow Agreement, which after the 44-day war between the Republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia, led to the liberation of seven Azerbaijani cities and the establishment of a ceasefire, promised to make peace and security. The opening of the Consulate General of Iran in Kapan means Iran's practical acceptance of solving conflicts through peaceful means and creating peace and stability in the region.
2- The end of the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia also created good opportunities for economic cooperation, and Iran's strong presence in the Caucasus region can strengthen Iran's trade with the Eurasian Economic Union. After Iran's preferential trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union came into force in 2018, Iran's trade with these countries has started and it is expected to experience significant growth in the future. The Consulate General of Iran in Kapan can play a constructive role in this regard. The existence of a population of 183 million people in the five member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union is a booming market for Iranian goods.
3- Due to the increasing importance of transit in regional and international relations, the Consulate General of Iran in Kapan can strengthen the transit capacities of Tehran and Yerevan while solving and reducing the problems of truck drivers and providing them with the necessary facilities. Considering the final stages of the construction of the new Goris-Kapan road, the beginning of cooperation with Russia, Georgia and India to build the Persian Gulf corridor to the Black Sea and Europe, and the activation of the Meghri Free Zone as a transit route between Iran and Armenia, the role of the Consulate General in Kapan for The strengthening of economic partners will be more prominent.
4- The foreign policy of the 13th Iran government is to expand interactions, especially in economic fields, with neighboring countries. Therefore, strengthening relations with Armenia through the establishment of a consulate general in this country can be defined in the framework of Iran's neighborhood policy. Today, economic interactions are the prelude to creating peace and security in different regions, and increase the level of economic interactions between neighbors, and prove the regional stability, security and peace.
5- Iran has friendly relations with the South Caucasus countries, especially the Republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia, and this situation has increased the relative advantage of Tehran to play a role in stabilizing the ceasefire and peace. The establishment of the Consulate General in Kapan is not against any of the Caucasus countries, but like the Consulate General of Iran in Nakhchivan, it pursues efforts to strengthen regional security and develop economic and cultural cooperation. The symbolic message of the establishment of this consulate general is that there is no longer going to be a war in the region or a country to be occupied. Iran warmly shakes the hands of its neighbors and has prioritized the policy of strengthening relations with its neighbors within the framework of mutual respect and national interests.
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