Gen. Mousavi: Foreign Powers’ Presence a Regional Concern

WANA (Aug 30) – Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Major General Seyed Abdolrahim Mousavi, in a meeting with Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan, described the presence of extra-regional powers, including the United States, as a source of concern for the region.

Grigoryan, who traveled to Tehran at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart, met and held talks with Major General Mousavi at the General Staff headquarters.

During the meeting, Mousavi pointed to the historical and cultural commonalities between Iran and Armenia, stressing that a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan would bring stability and security to the region.

“Such processes have always been welcomed by the Islamic Republic of Iran; however, the presence of extra-regional powers, including the U.S., is a cause for concern,” he said.

He added that “just as the realities of history affirm the dominance of friendship and mutual goodwill between the two countries, they also confirm the negative role of the United States in the region,” emphasizing the need to establish mechanisms to reduce such concerns.

For his part, Grigoryan underlined the growing trajectory of bilateral relations and the need to further strengthen the foundations of cooperation, particularly in the security field.

He assessed the agreements signed on August 8 within the framework of Armenia’s “Crossroads of Peace” initiative and stressed the preservation of Armenia’s national sovereignty over the Syunik corridor, while working to prevent any negative impact on Armenia’s relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Bilateral military relations were also briefly reviewed during the meeting, with both sides emphasizing the necessity of expanding cooperation.

Prior to this meeting, Grigoryan met with the Iranian president and Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Major General Seyed Abdolrahim Mousavi, in a meeting with Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan. Social media/ WANA News Agency