ArmInfo. The upcoming visit of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Iran is evidence of Yerevan's intention to continue deepening its partnership with Tehran. Head of the Iranian Studies Department of Yerevan State University, Oriental Study expert Vardan Voskanyan expressed his opinion to ArmInfo.
At a meeting with the Armenian community in Cologne, the Armenian Prime Minister announced his intention to visit Iran in February with an official visit. On February 5, the press secretary of the Armenian Foreign Ministry Anna Naghdalyan confirmed the dates of the Iranian voyage of Pashinyan, while providing details of the agenda. According to her, during the visit it is planned to discuss the whole range of bilateral relations of two friendly countries.
"I am convinced that not only Armenia should not abandon the partnership with the neighboring Iran, but also should show consistency in deepening relations with Tehran, given that this is primarily in our interests. The risks for Armenian business, on this background fade into insignificance, "- the expert stressed.
Noting the certain deceleration of the dynamics in the development of relations between the two countries due to the change of power in Armenia, Voskanyan stressed the need to correct the situation as soon as possible. In his opinion, it is meetings at the highest level that are the best catalyst for the development of relations. In this sense, the expert attaches great importance to the upcoming visit of Pashinyan to Iran.
According to Voskanyan, the visit of the Armenian Prime Minister to Tehran will allow the Iranian leadership to finally decide on the foreign policy guidelines of the new Armenian government, in particular regarding Yerevan's anti-Iranian sanctions. In turn, the Armenian delegation will have to enlist the support of Iran in establishing a full-fledged North-South corridor - from the ports of the Gulf to the Black Sea ports through Armenia.
"Reaching concrete agreements with Tehran for Armenia, which is still in the semi-blockade, is very important. This is quite possible, given the existence of all the relevant political preconditions, the main of which are the oral agreements of Pashinyan and President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani, reached UN apartment in New York ", - concluded Iranian.