DUBAI (Reuter)-Armenia could offer neighboring Iran a link to Europe–the speaker of the Iranian parliament told his visiting Armenian counterpart–Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported Sunday.
Speaker Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri told Babken Ararktsian Saturday that Iran was willing to further broaden relations with Armenia and offer it a communication bridge with the Gulf–IRNA said. Armenia–too–could link Iran with Europe–he said.
IRNA gave no further details of the proposal but said Nateq- Nouri–a candidate in an election to replace outgoing President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani this year–also expressed hope that the crisis in Karabakh would shortly be solved by negotiation and without the interference of foreign powers.
The agency quoted Ararktsian as saying that Armenia and Iran had maintained good relations in every area and could develop them even further. He said the crisis in Karabakh could well be solved with the cooperation of regional countries.
Ararktsian also said Armenia’s National Assembly looked forward to the formation of a parliamentary friendship group with Iran.
