Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian participated in the opening of the Armenia-Iran Business Forum. The main goals of the forum are to promote the deepening and diversification of trade and economic ties between Armenia and Iran, to create and develop new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation and the implementation of joint projects, to promote investment flows and the exchange of technological experience, to ensure direct contacts between the participants and the establishment of partnership ties.
Prime Minister Pashinyan made a speech in which he noted .
“Honorable President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Pezeshkian,
Dear colleague,
Dear attendees,
I warmly welcome you all to Yerevan on the occasion of your participation in the Armenia-Iran Business Forum. I would like to emphasize that economic relations and their development are of great importance in the development of bilateral relations between the two friendly states.
In this context, I am pleased to note that the close political relations between the governments of our countries create the necessary environment to promote cooperation between Armenian and Iranian businessmen. Today, with the Statement signed by President Pezeshkian and me, we have reaffirmed our goal of increasing the volume of bilateral trade turnover to 1 billion and then to 3 billion US dollars. Of course, if we could immediately increase it to 3, we would do so, but inevitably we must first increase it to 1 billion, and then to 3. And the most important role in achieving these targets is reserved for representatives of the business community.
Dear colleagues,
Trade turnover between Armenia and Iran has been recording steady growth in recent years. Last year it amounted to 748 million dollars, increasing by almost 6 percent, and in the first half of 2025 this figure reached 346 million, which also indicates steady progress.
We see a rising bar in the import sector year after year: in the first six months of this year alone, imports from Iran increased by more than 10 percent, reaching $300 million. As for exports, they, despite a certain decrease, continue to include such products as electricity, copper concentrate, and agricultural products. This is precisely the foundation on which we must build not only trade, but also joint production, and create mutually beneficial added value.
In this context, I consider the development of cross-border infrastructure important in the energy, transport, and logistics sectors. This is fully consistent with our Government’s “Crossroads of Peace” project, in the implementation of which I must note with satisfaction that Iranian companies are also involved, in particular, an Iranian company is implementing the construction of the 32-kilometer Agarak-Kajaran road section.
The “Crossroads of Peace” aims to create additional interconnections between North and South, East and West. Given Armenia’s strategic location and diversification of foreign relations, Armenia can serve as a gateway for Iranians to both the EAEU and the European Union member states.
Dear guests,
In conclusion, I would like to express my confidence that today's conference will be fruitful in strengthening business ties and establishing new partnerships. I wish success to all participants of the business conference."
In his speech, Masoud Pezeshkian noted that one of the main goals of today's discussions was to contribute to the expansion of trade turnover between the two countries and the elimination of existing problems and obstacles that investors and those engaged in industrial activities will encounter. The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran emphasized that important agreements were reached in all the areas that were touched upon during the discussions in order to create a platform for cooperation for investors and representatives of the trade sector.
According to Masoud Pezeshkian, increasing the volume of bilateral trade turnover to $3 billion is quite achievable and in this context, he emphasized the efforts of the governments of the two countries to make this process smoother. “The rest depends on you, producers, investors and representatives of the industrial sector, if you set bigger goals, you will accomplish bigger works,” the Iranian President said.
Masoud Pezeshkian once again thanked the Government of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, for discussing issues in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and emphasized that it will contribute to the expansion of cooperation between the two countries in various fields.
