President Serzh Sarkisian with IRNA correspondent during an interview

TEHRAN (IRNA)—Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian said on Tuesday that Yerevan’s amicable relations with Tehran are not limited to words.

Armenian president: Tehran-Yerevan ties not limited to words
He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with IRNA on the eve of his visit to Tehran to attend President Hassan Rouhani’s inauguration on August 4.

President Sarkisian is scheduled to visit Tehran heading a delegation comprising Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan and Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources Ashot Manukyan.

The long-standing history of Iran-Armenia relations is a great backing for promoting bilateral ties and drawing a bright future for consolidating interactions and removing obstacles in the way of all-out progress, he told IRNA correspondent.

Very few nations existed during the millennia-old history that could have been standing together and

There are very few nations that have been able to stand together in the course of the millennia-old history and continue their close interaction up to the present time based on mutual respect, said the Armenian president referring to the long history of Tehran-Yerevan relations.

Armenia and Iran are certainly keen on consolidating friendly relations, he stressed.

Asked about Armenia’s plans to promote bilateral relations with Iran, President Sarkisian noted that Yerevan is taking practical steps in line with joint economic programs stressing that the two capitals know no limits for promoting their bilateral relations.

He also expressed satisfaction that Tehran-Yerevan diplomatic relations are currently at a high level. However, he complained that the two countries economic ties are not as good as their diplomatic relations.

The two countries enjoy great potentials for boosting bilateral trade and economic relations which have so far remained untapped, said the Armenian president.

Commenting on construction of the Armenian segment of the Persian Gulf and Black Sea International Transport Corridor, Sarkisian said the project has a reasonable regional justification and would help develop infrastructures of Armenia, Iran, Georgia, Bulgaria and Greece as well as other countries along its route.

As to gas and power swap between Iran and Armenia, as one of the main areas of cooperation between the two countries, the Armenian president said that gas and electricity swap is significant not only in terms of economic profitability but also in terms of security.

Touching upon Iranian companies’ investment in Armenia, he said that Yerevan attaches significance for the Iranian firms’ involvement in the former’s infrastructural projects. Ground works are ready for their activities across the country.

Asked about Iran-Armenia cooperation in maintaining peace and stability in Caucasus, President Sargysan said that Iran has always advocated finding peaceful solutions for all disputes through political talks and Yerevan appreciates Tehran’s principled stance in solving Karabakh dispute.

Responding to a question about the impacts of Iran-Armenia-Russia cooperation on regional and international peace and stability, Sargysan said that the trio are friendly countries both in bilateral or trilateral levels.

Their peaceful policies in the region serve as a strong support for peace and stability. They are unanimous in promoting regional security and creating a firm front in the fight against terrorism.

Armenian president also denounced Islamophobia noting that like any other phenomenon which instills hatred towards others, Islamophobia is an unacceptable matter.

Iran-Armenia relations are clear example of excellent ties between Christian and Muslim states and it can serve as a role model for other countries, he said.