TEHRAN-- The President of Iran says that the historical relations between Iran and Armenia have always been friendly and constructive, adding that with the existing will between the political leaders, Tehran and Yerevan, can mark a new period of extensive economic cooperation.

Ebrahim Raisi, during a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stressed the need to increase the current level of economic relations between Iran and Armenia.

He added: "The formation of specialized working groups on economic issues, including in the field of energy exchange, transportation, joint production projects and financial exchanges can be a good stimulus and a turning point in improving the level of interaction between the two countries."

The president referred to the industrial and private sector capacity of Iran to supply the goods and services required by Armenia.
"Specialized working groups should advance agreements and economic cooperation on the basis of a timetable and address possible problems and obstacles in the implementation of these agreements."

The Prime Minister of Armenia for his part said that the expansion of relations with neighbors was one of the principles of his country's foreign policy.
"The fact that your administration has made strengthening its relations with its neighbors a priority of its foreign policy can start a new and fruitful period of relations between two countries," the Armenia PM addressed the Iranian President.

Pashinyan described the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in regional relations as very constructive and added: "Iran's role in the region has always been stabilizing and we welcome Iran's initiatives to resolve regional issues."

While welcoming Ayatollah Raisi's proposal to make the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation of the two countries more active, he emphasized: "I instruct the relevant ministers to remove the obstacles to the implementation of the previous agreements between Iran and Armenia."