14th Session of Armenian-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission held in Iran

The 14^th session of the Armenian-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission was held in Iran on December 4-5. The Armenian delegation headed by Ashot Manukyan, Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia was representing the Armenian side. The delegation included officials and experts representing different fields of economy.

The session was presided by the Armenian Co-Chair, the Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia, Ashot Manukyan, and the Iranian Co-Chair Hamid Chitchian, the Minister of Energy of Iran.

The agenda of the intergovernmental session included a wide range of bilateral issues regarding energy, infrastructure, transport, nature protection, health, agriculture, banking and insurance system, as well as education, trade, regional cooperation and a number of other fields.

Considering the high level of relations between the two countries and the accumulated experience, the sides attached importance to the need to expand the regional cooperation. It was mentioned that a favorable environment has been created for this due to Armenia’s membership to the EAEU and agreements made for the Iranian Nuclear Program.

To expand the commodity turnover between the two countries, the sides considered appropriate to cooperate in the field of certification and standardization. Possibilities of speeding up the construction of the third Iran-Armenia high-voltage transmission line and cooperating in the field of renewable, specifically wind energy, were also discussed.

The Iranian side showed great interest and readiness to cooperate in establishing free economic zone at the Armenian-Iranian border, as well as take part in its further activity. The importance of operating in the free economic zone and the possibility of entering the EAEU market for Iranian companies were emphasized.

By the end of the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding of the 14^th Joint session of the Armenian-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission was signed.

Within the session, Ashot Manukyan, the Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia, met with Eshaq Jahangiri, First Vice President of Iran, Hamid Chitchian, Energy Minister of Iran and Mohammad- Reza Nematzadeh, the Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade of Iran. A wide range of issues of mutual interest was discussed at the meetings.