Armenian parliamentary delegation due in Tehran

Iranian Parliament Speaker’s advisor for international affairs Hossein Sheikholeslam said that a high-ranking Armenian parliamentary delegation is slated to pay an official visit to Tehran to discuss various issues of mutual interests with Iranian officials. "The Armenian delegation is scheduled to arrive in Tehran on Saturday for a three-day visit," Sheikholeslam said. "The visiting delegation, to be headed by Vice Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Galust Sahakyan, will hold separate meetings with Head of Iran-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group Ali Kaeidi as well as Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi," the Iranian official added. Early this month, Iran's First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri stressed the need for widening bilateral relations and mutual cooperation between Tehran and Yerevan in all fields. In a congratulatory message to Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan on National Day (October 2), Jahangiri wished the Armenian government and nation peace and prosperity, and expressed the hope that bilateral ties between the two neighbors would witness further expansion in all arenas. Early in August, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsian, in a meeting in Tehran, hailed the friendly relations between the two neighboring states, and called for the further expansion of mutual cooperation in all arenas. During the meeting, the Iranian president said that relations between Iran and Armenia have been friendly based on mutual interests and there is no doubt that the same trend will be continued in future to help enhance the current level of relations and cooperation. Iran has always called for expansion of relations and cooperation with Armenia thanks to both sides cultural and civilization commonalities, Rouhani added. Armenia at international conferences has always adopted a very close and friendly stand with Iran, which helps meet both sides' interests, Rouhani said. The Armenian president, for his part, said that Iran and Armenia have kept abreast of developments throughout history and in the past 20 years they developed economic cooperation. There is no doubt that ties and cooperation between the two countries will be bolstered in line with the expansion of economic cooperation during the tenure of president Rouhani, he said. Iran has long taken various diplomatic initiatives to expand its ties with the neighboring states. In recent years, Iran and its Northern neighbor Armenia have boosted cooperation, signed agreements on energy cooperation and agreed to cooperate in technology and research and to enhance ties in commerce and economy.