Commenting on the visit to Armenia of Iran’s First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri on 14 October, RSC Director Richard Giragosian noted the significance of the visit in an interview with Sargis Harutyunyan for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Armenian Service.
.Giragosian expected that after the gradual removal of sanctions on Iran as the Western-brokered nuclear deal is implemented, one should expect the Islamic Republic to get more actively involved particularly in regional political and economic relations. He further stated that “the visit in itself is important. In fact, the visit follows a similar reciprocal visit by the Armenian prime minister to Tehran.”
He went on to add that “what it (the visit) represents, though, is an opportunity not only to explore a deepening of relations between Armenia and Iran, post sanctions, post agreement, but there is also a danger. If this visit is in preparation for the planned visit of the Iranian President Rouhani, it is a very positive step forward. If, however, it’s a replacement, instead of the planned visit by Iranian President Rouhani, then it will be a missed opportunity,” Giragosian concluded.
Jahangiri is the highest Iranian official to come to Armenia since the 2011 visit of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.