On September 21, Ararat Armenian Sport and Cultural Complex of Tehran hosted an event dedicated to the 26^th anniversary of the Independence of Armenia. The event was organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Among the attendees of the event were state officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the leaders and members of several diplomatic missions accredited to Iran and international organizations, members of the Iranian-Armenian community, representatives of non-governmental organizations and mass media representatives and cultural figures.

In his opening remarks at the event, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Islamic Republic of Iran Artashes Tumanyan touched upon the main directions of the policy that the Armenian government has been leading over the past years, the measures that are being taken and the major processes taking place.

Ambassador Tumanyan presented Armenia’s relations with the Eurasian Economic Union, the European Union and several countries in the region, as well as the current negotiations over the creation of special conditions for trade between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union. The Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia talked about the perspectives of the expansion of relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and the joint programs in the spheres of politics, economy, culture and the humanitarian sector. The Ambassador also touched upon the programs for multilateral cooperation between Iran and Armenia for implementation of several projects in the trade, economic, energy and infrastructure sectors. The creation of a North-South corridor and the programs being implemented by Armenia in that context were particularly emphasized.

Talking about the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia stated that Armenia has supported and always will support an exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict. Ambassador Tumanyan particularly emphasized the importance of Iran’s balanced position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and attached special importance to the role that the Iranian-Armenian community plays in the enhancement of Armenia-Iran relations.

First Deputy Minister of Energy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Alireza Dayemi and Head of the Iran-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Mejlis of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ramazanali Sobhanifar gave their welcoming remarks at the event.

The next day, on September 22, during a Holy Mass served on the occasion of Armenia’s Independence Day at the St. Sargis Armenian Church in Tehran, a patriarchal wish ceremony was performed by Bishop Makar Ashgarian. Among the participants were Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Islamic Republic of Iran Artashes Tumanyan and representatives of the Assembly of Delegates of Tehran and the diocesan council.