The Prosecutor General Receives the Iranian Ambassador to Armenia

The Prosecutor General of Armenia, Artur Davtyan, received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Abbas Badakhshan Zohuri, today, as reported by the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office.

Welcoming the guest, the Prosecutor General congratulated the ambassador on taking up his high and responsible mission in Armenia. He noted that relations between Armenia and Iran, including in the field of legal cooperation, are at a high level, which allows for effective and mutually trust-based close communications between the law enforcement agencies of both countries, enabling a swift and mutually beneficial response to emerging operational issues.

The Prosecutor General expressed his satisfaction with the implementation of the agreements reached during his visit to Iran in November 2018, particularly regarding the specific measures outlined in the collaboration program signed by the Prosecutor's Offices of Armenia and Iran for 2019-2020, and lamented the impossibility of the visit by the Iranian Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri originally planned for this spring due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. He expressed hope that this visit would be organized at the first opportunity.

Ambassador Abbas Badakhshan Zohuri thanked the Prosecutor General for the warm welcome and reaffirmed the embassy's willingness to continue the close, direct, and highly effective cooperation established with the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia.

During the meeting, discussions were held on the development of cooperation in the area of criminal justice between the two countries, the protection of the procedural and judicial rights of citizens of Armenia and Iran in each other's countries, especially those subjected to criminal prosecution, and prisoners, as well as new possibilities for addressing issues arising from the legislative frameworks in place for combating the illegal drug trade, and issues related to the fight against illegal migration.

The ambassador expressed gratitude for the treatment of Iranian citizens by the relevant Armenian authorities. He also expressed confidence that the stabilization of the situation after the cessation of hostilities would allow the two countries to implement the planned joint programs, noting that Iran approaches Armenia as an old friend and a “safe window.”

The Prosecutor General remarked that during the war, Armenia felt the balanced and respectful attitude of its friend Iran, as well as its efforts towards the cessation of hostilities, particularly valuing Iran's principled stance against the infiltration of international terrorism into the region. In this regard, Artur Davtyan added that during the course of the war, he had informed his Iranian counterpart about the presence of representatives of international terrorist groups in the combat zone, providing corroborating evidence and factual data. Expressing concerns over the increased risks of international terrorism near the borders of Armenia and Iran, Artur Davtyan reiterated his readiness to expand and develop bilateral cooperation in combating terrorism with the Iranian side.