Ambassador Grigor Hakobyan's speech at the official reception dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Armenia

Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran,
Co-Chair of the Armenia-Iran Intergovernmental Joint Commission, Honorable Mr. Pourmohammadi,

High-ranking officials of the legislative and executive branches of the Islamic Republic of Iran,

Your Excellencies Ambassadors,

Dear friends of the Iranian-Armenian community,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

35 years ago, on this day - September 21, 1991 - the Armenian people gave a simple but historic answer: they said "yes" to independence. And that "yes" was not merely a decision made on a single day. It was an expression of the memory, struggle, and unbroken aspiration for independent statehood that had persisted through the preceding decades.

Today, 35 years later, we stand at a different point. We value the state that was built on the foundation of independence, tempered through numerous trials, and continues to take shape as a sovereign, peaceful, and developing state. This very idea is reflected in this year's message marking the 35th anniversary of Armenia's Independence: "Independence: Enduring Statehood."

Independence begins with the will of the people, but enduring statehood is built every day - through peace, tireless work, responsibility, state institutions, the creative power of the people, and confidence in the future.

Dear friends,

September 21 has another special significance. The world marks this day as the International Day of Peace, established by the United Nations with the aim of strengthening the idea of peace and promoting the vision of renouncing violence. Thus, for us, September 21 is simultaneously a day of independence and a day of peace. And these two ideas, however different they may seem at first glance, are in fact deeply consonant with one another.

For the endurance of an independent state, peace is not merely a desire but a necessary condition. And peace is not merely the absence of war. It is security, dignity, the opportunity for development, trust between people, and cooperation between peoples and states.

For the Republic of Armenia, the peace agenda holds particular significance. We consistently advance the idea of establishing stable and lasting peace in the region, convinced that peace must become not only a political arrangement but also an inseparable part of people's daily lives.

Peace must open roads. Peace must rebuild and create connections. Peace must give people the opportunity to move freely, to trade, to know one another, and to build the future together.

In this sense, the process of unblocking regional communications advanced by Armenia, as well as the opportunities being discussed within the framework of the "TRIPP route" project, should be viewed not only as infrastructure projects but also as an opportunity to create practical foundations for peace.

Our region has historically been a crossroads of routes and cultures. Today, we believe that the region can once again play such a role - this time, not as a place of borders that divide people, but as a space for building bridges, cooperation, and mutual prosperity.

Distinguished guests,

In this context, it is natural to address Armenia-Iran relations. The ties between our two states are far deeper than simply relations between two neighbors. They have been shaped over centuries and today are expressed through political dialogue, active economic cooperation, and close people-to-people contacts. For us, Iran is important not only as an immediate neighbor, but also as a country with which Armenia shares a long history of relations rooted in mutual respect and trust.

And when we speak of friendship, it becomes especially visible in difficult moments. During the difficult period Iran faced this year, Armenia provided humanitarian assistance and continued to uphold its role as a bridge connecting Iran with the outside world. However, I must honestly note that we do not regard this as an extraordinary step. True friendship between peoples manifests itself precisely in this way - when the need to stand by one another in difficult times requires no lengthy explanations.

In the same spirit was the participation of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, in the official farewell ceremony for the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Ali Khamenei. Armenia's presence at the highest level at that difficult moment once again expressed our respect for the friendly people of Iran and our neighboring country.

I am convinced that the friendly relations between our two states will continue to open new horizons through deeper strategic cooperation, the promotion of prosperity, and sustained dialogue.

Dear guests,

I am pleased to share with you that Armenia's development and international engagement have enabled our country to become a host of important international events. This year alone, our capital hosted the summits of the European Political Community and the Armenia-European Union Summit, and in the near future, Yerevan will bring together participants from around the world for the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17).

These events have one thing in common: they demonstrate the readiness of the Republic of Armenia to be not only a participant in international processes, but also a host of dialogue and cooperation.

Dear friends,

In concluding my remarks, I wish to emphasize once again that our fundamental goal today is to make independence an enduring statehood - a peaceful, sovereign, developing, and future-oriented Republic of Armenia.

On this path, Armenia highly values the presence and support of its friends. Thank you for being here today to celebrate with us the 35th anniversary of our state's Independence.

May the friendship between our countries and peoples continue to grow stronger. May our region become a crossroads of peace, cooperation, and cultures - a place where roads henceforth connect more than they divide, creating opportunities and new bridges.

Long live the Republic of Armenia!