Iran believes that it has shared approaches with the European Union (EU) and European countries on maintaining peace and stability in the region, as well as on Azerbaijan-Armenia relations. Iranian ambassador to Armenia Khalil Shirgholami on Wednesday stated this during a conference on Armenian-Iranian relations.

Shirgholami added that it is extremely important for Iran and Armenia, two important traditional partners, to be able to build cooperation, taking into account the new vectors of Armenia’s foreign policy.

The Iranian ambassador to Armenia explained that this is about the Armenian authorities’ foreign policy course towards the West—that is, rapprochement with the European Union and the US—and, in parallel, the need to maintain the previous level of partnership between Iran and Armenia.

“This is a very complex issue, but it also contains many opportunities. Although at first glance the situation may seem difficult for Iran and Armenia, it also opens up broad prospects. We believe that thanks to the deep trust between the leaders of Armenia and Iran, we will be able not only to maintain the current level of cooperation, but also to bring it to a qualitatively new phase. We are considering and planning a strategic partnership between Iran and Armenia, as well as striving to institutionalize this partnership,” Shirgholami noted.

He added that historically, landlocked Armenia has faced numerous challenges, and it needs multi-level mechanisms and various ways of communication with the world, as well as the opportunity to use its role as a connecting node.

“We [i.e. Iran] understand this situation and the strategic vector of Armenia’s foreign policy,” the Iranian diplomat added.