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YEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Head of the International CenterforHuman Development Tevan Poghosyan considers Armenia’s neutral approach in regards to the current tension between the US and Iran as absolutely right.
“In this case Armenia’s position is acceptable. We have no problems neither against Iran nor the US. We are ready to work with both sides, and this is appreciated by both sides”, he said during a press conference, adding that this approach has not been formed a year ago.
According to him, Armenia has formed a unique situation. Poghosyan brought the example of Russia-Georgia tension, stating that Armenia is an ally with Russia and tries to keep good neighborly relations with Georgia, adding that the same is in case of the US and Iran.
“Armenia cannot be with one side, it should be guided by its own interests. At this moment the right approach was the approach that was used”, he said.
Tensions around Iran flared up after the US launched a strike on Baghdad’s airport on January 3 killing General Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ elite Quds Force. On January 8, Iran retaliated by launching missile strikes on two military facilities in Iraq used by the United States. According to the Pentagon’s spokesperson, Al-Asad Air Base and the airport of Erbil were targeted.
In turn Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that Iran and the United States are friendly countries for Armenia, and in such situation Armenia cannot engage into neither anti-Iranian, nor anti-American actions. The PM urged Iran and the US partners to refrain from actions that will further deteriorate the tense situation in the region and the international relations.
Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan