Iran supports opening of communication routes in Caucasus based on sovereignty, territorial integrity of all countries

President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi, during the December 20 phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, expressed support to “any type of action and platform to open communication routes and infrastructures with the Caucasus region, while respecting the principle of respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries”, the Iranian presidential office said in a readout.

According to the Iranian readout, President Raisi extended greetings on upcoming Christmas holidays and “expressed satisfaction with the process of developing relations and implementing agreements between the two countries.”

“In response to the Armenian government’s plan to develop road and rail communication routes between the two countries as well as the countries of the region, the President said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran supports any type of action and platform to open communication routes and infrastructures with the Caucasus region, while respecting the principle of respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, and evaluates it as an effective step in the direction of consolidating peace and securing the interests of its neighbours.

Dr Raisi described the Caucasus as an important region in need of peace and added, “The foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards the Caucasus is fixed and care must be taken that the Caucasus region does not become a field of competition for extra-regional countries and that its issues are handled by the countries of the region and without the interference of outsiders.
The President described and clarified the successful holding of the 3+3 meeting in Tehran as a constructive step to strengthen regional relations and cooperation and normalise the relations of the countries of the region with each other, adding, “Developing neighbourly relations and strengthening relations in order to ensure mutual benefits and the interests of the countries of the region are the fundamental policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the Iranian presidential press service said in the readout.

It added that the Armenian Prime Minister, “while reviewing the latest economic cooperation between the two countries and the latest developments in the region, as well as the actions of the officials of the two countries in line with the implementation of agreements and the promotion of joint cooperation, described the continuation and increase of relations between the high-ranking officials of Iran and Armenia witness to the will of the two countries to comprehensively develop bilateral relations.”