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Baluarte
12-16-2013, 03:25 AM
Iran, Armenia diplomats stress expansion of ties

http://previous.presstv.ir/photo/20131215/340174_Zarif-Kocharyan.jpg
Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) meets with Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan in Tehran on December 15, 2013.

http://presstv.com/detail/2013/12/15/340174/iran-armenia-stress-expansion-of-ties/

Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the Islamic Republic attaches great significance to its bilateral relations with neighboring countries, particularly Armenia.

In a Sunday meeting with visiting Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan in Tehran, Zarif hailed “longstanding” and “friendly” relations between Iran and neighboring Armenia.

“Iran’s new administration attaches special significance to the expansion of ties with neighbors and we are willing to bolster these relations more than before,” said the Iranian top diplomat.

He further stated that Iran and Armenia enjoy great economic and commercial grounds for cooperation, stressing that frequent visits by officials of the two countries can “play an effective role in the expansion of bilateral ties.”

Tehran and Yerevan should continue their negotiations and cooperation on regional and international issues, added the Iranian foreign minister.

Kocharyan, for his part, expressed hope that reciprocal visits by senior Armenian and Iranian officials would pave the way for further enhancement of Tehran-Yerevan relations in all areas.

The Armenian diplomat reaffirmed his country’s support for the landmark nuclear deal signed between Tehran and the Sextet of world powers – the US, Britain, Russia, China, France and Germany – in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 24.

Kocharyan also held a separate meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia and Pacific Affairs Ebrahim Rahimpour on Sunday.

In November, Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan paid a visit to Tehran. He met with President Hassan Rouhani and his Iranian opposite number, Hamid Chitchian, during his stay.

Movsisyan and Chitchian signed three agreements for the implementation of joint hydropower projects during their November talks in Tehran.

StonyArabia
12-16-2013, 03:27 AM
One thing that I never understood why Iran always supports Armenia against Shia Azerbaijan. It's quite paradoxical.

Baluarte
12-16-2013, 03:31 AM
One thing that I never understood why Iran always supports Armenia against Shia Azerbaijan. It's quite paradoxical.

Aliyev Azerbaijan has been coopted by NATO for a long while now. Almost immediately after their indepedence from the Soviet Union.
Azerbaijan also has signed cooperation agreements with Israel, the most Iranophobic country in the world.

Furthermore, the Azerbaijani government in terms of identity politics seems to favour PanTurkism over religious union, and therefore Baku is much more closer to Ankara than to any Shia majority capital.

It's quite an interesting thing indeed, the only pro "Western" (Read NATO+Israel) Shia country. I genuinely believe a sound foreign policy from Tehran should make Transcaucasia a priority, in order to break the Western power grid there.

Having Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan all working for USrael's interests is a liability they cannot afford.

Musso
12-16-2013, 06:14 AM
Azerbaijan is a close buddy of Israel, and also cooperates with Mossad. Azerbaijan calls for secession of South Azerbaijan, and so forth, so Iran and Azerbaijan have a lot of tensions, while Armenians and Iranians have historically been friendly with each other, despite different religion. Though we both share similar indo-european languages.

Sero
12-17-2013, 10:40 PM
One thing that I never understood why Iran always supports Armenia against Shia Azerbaijan. It's quite paradoxical.

We got tired of fighting each other and decided to be buds. :thumb001: