TEHRAN (ecoideal)- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underlined that Tehran is determined to expand all-out relations and mutual cooperation with Yerevan.
"The signing of a cooperation agreement by Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union provided a suitable opportunity for expansion of relations between Iran and Armenia in trade, economy and agriculture and other fields of mutual interest," President Rouhani said in a telephone conversation with Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan.
The Iranian president also stressed the need for Tehran and Yerevan to use their capacities for strengthening of bilateral relations.
President Rouhani said that Iran has always favored the establishment of peace, stability and security in the region and world and has sought settlement of political disputes through negotiations and based on international regulations.
The Iranian president termed the US unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal with world powers as being against its international commitments and UN Security Council Resolution 2231, and said, "Iran will stay in the deal as long as its interests are guaranteed by other parties to the pact."
The Armenian prime minister, for his part, said Armenia attaches great importance to broadening its friendly ties with Iran based on mutual respect and shared interests.
Pashinyan underscored the need for deepening mutual trade and economic cooperation and for implementing joint projects and agreements already reached between the two sides.
The Armenian prime minister also underlined that the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, guaranteed regional peace and stability, and said, "Armenia has never participated and will never participate in any anti-Iran moves."
In relevant remarks on Saturday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi underlined that Iran has always welcomed stability and security of its friendly countries, including Armenia.
"For the Islamic Republic of Iran, its neighbors and their peace, stability and security have always been the top priority," Qassemi said.
The Iranian foreign minister also commended the Armenian parliament's election of a new prime minister for the country, which was hit by weeks of protests.
He also said that Iran is ready to forge relations with Armenia in all fields.
Armenian opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan won the parliament's backing on May 8 to take over as the country's prime minister, ending weeks of mass protests in the ex-Soviet republic.
Fifty-nine lawmakers voted for Pashinyan's candidacy and 42 voted against. Some parliamentarians from the ruling Republican Party also cast their votes in his favor.
The protest movement began in Armenia with a non-violent march on March 31, demanding resignation of newly-appointed PM Serzh Sargsyan, who tried to hold power by becoming premier after ending a decade in power as president.
On April 23, Sargsyan bowed to widening public protests against his rule and resigned from his post.
Sargsyan said in a statement that he was wrong to cling to power after serving for 10 years as president, adding that he resigned to help end the political dispute in the country that widened after parliament elected him as prime minister.
Source: Farsnews