TEHRAN (ArmRadio)–The situation in Iran following the disputed presidential election last month will not have any impact on Armenian-Iranian relations or the implementation of joint economic projects being implemented by the two countries, the Islamic Republic’s Ambassador to Armenia, Seid Ali Saghayean told a press conference in Yerevan Wednesday.
President Serzh Sarkisian was among foreign leaders who congratulated his Iranian counterpart Mahmud Ahmadinejad on the latter’s disputed reelection.
The two men agreed to press ahead with a series of large-scale Armenian-Iranian projects during Sarkisian’s April visit to Tehran. Those include the construction of a railway connecting the two countries and a big hydro-electric plant.
Saghayean said that the turmoil in Iran will not reflect negatively on the implementation of those projects.
Construction of the railway and the Iran-Armenia oil pipeline are under way, the envoy stressed, adding that experts will soon visit Armenia to complete construction work.
Saghayean also said it was still possible that an Iranian-Armenian employee of a U.S.-based aid group who has been jailed in Iran for over a year may be released.
“Iran attaches importance to its relations with Armenia and feels great respect for Iranian Armenians,” Saghayean said, adding that Iran welcomes all the initiatives that will lead to the reinforcement of stability and peace in the region.