YEREVAN. – The Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Suren Papikyan, on Monday received the Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran, Mohammad Eslami, who has arrived in Armenia to attend the two-day international conference, entitled “Transit Potential of the Eurasian Continent,” which is held in capital city Yerevan. 

The avenues for a more systematic further development of cooperation between the two countries were discussed at the talk, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Papikyan lauded the current level of communication between the two countries, and stressed that the age-old history of Armenian-Iranian cooperation promises prospects for sustainable economic development between the two countries.

“Armenia, being a member state in the Eurasian Economic Union and having a favorable geopolitical position, can play the role of an important regional hub and implement several ambitious programs,” the minister noted, in particular. At the same time he recorded Iran’s pivotal role in this important endeavor.

Eslami, for his part, spoke about the inseparable connection between Armenia and Iran. Referring to regional projects of mutual interest, the Iranian minister informed that his country was considering all possible options for connecting Armenia to the warm waters of the Persian Gulf and to the Indian Ocean. At the same time, he attached importance to Iran’s prospects for connecting to Russia and Europe via Armenia, and expressed readiness to be actively involved in the development of ongoing railway and road infrastructure projects in Armenia.

Summing up, Minister Papikyan reaffirmed Armenia’s readiness to strengthen bilateral relations and deepen cooperation with Iran.