YEREVAN. - Nature Protection Minister of Armenia Artsvik Minasyan on Monday received Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Seyyed Kazem Sajjad and the delegation led by the Head of Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council (INIC), professor Saeid Sarkar. 

At the meeting, the interlocutors discussed a range of issues of mutual interest. Saeid Sarkar made a video presentation of the work carried out in Iran in the area of nanotechnology development. He also touched on the cooperation opportunities with Armenia. According to the professor, Iran is ready to implement joint programs through productive cooperation in the areas of energy, healthcare and environmental protection.

The Minister welcomed the initiative, noting that they will support in making arrangements with relevant agencies. At the same time, he expressed conviction that the Ministry of Nature Protection is ready to discuss each program in detail, which will give an opportunity for efficient introduction of high technologies in the area of environmental protection.

Issues related to the water resources bordering with Iran, specifically pollution of Arakh River, were also touched on. Minister Minasyan noted that Araks River is a cross-border water resource for five countries and it is necessary to carry out relevant studies in the territories of all five countries to find out the exact sources of the pollution.  

Moreover, the Governor of Iran's Western Atropatene gave a positive feedback on that the Armenian side doesn't pollute the water of Araks River, no heavy metals being discovered in the samples taken from the river fish.

The sides underscored the need and readiness to continue the work aimed at the joint Armenian-Iranian monitoring of the pollution of Araks River water. By the end of the meeting, they once again reconfirmed the commitment to efficiently cooperate.