Armenian parliament speaker calls for expanded ties with Iran

Armenia's newly appointed parliament speaker has called for an expansion of ties between Yerevan and Tehran, describing closer relations with Iran as both a priority for the Armenian government and a demand from the country's people, according to Iran's IRNA news agency.

The remarks were made in the context of discussions on Armenia-Iran relations, which have historically included cooperation on trade, energy and regional connectivity. Armenia and Iran share a border and have maintained diplomatic and economic relations even as the wider South Caucasus region has seen periods of tension involving other neighboring states.

Regional context

Armenia's relationship with Iran is often viewed by analysts as significant given Armenia's geographic position and its at-times strained relations with some other regional neighbors. Iran has periodically emphasized its interest in maintaining stable ties with Yerevan as part of its broader regional posture in the South Caucasus.

The parliament speaker's comments did not detail specific new agreements or initiatives, but were framed as a general statement of intent to strengthen the bilateral relationship going forward.

Officials from both countries have in the past pointed to trade and energy cooperation, including cross-border infrastructure projects, as areas where the two countries have sought to deepen collaboration.