On October 1, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Mohammad Reza Aref, the First Deputy President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

During the meeting, the Prime Minister congratulated Aref on his appointment and wished him success in his new role. Pashinyan emphasized that the ongoing development of Armenia's relations with Iran remains a key priority for the Armenian government. He also expressed appreciation for Iran’s firm and public support for Armenia’s territorial integrity and the inviolability of its internationally recognized state borders.

In response, Mohammad Reza Aref thanked Prime Minister Pashinyan for the warm reception and congratulated Armenia on the anniversary of its independence. He reaffirmed the stance of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Seyyed Ali Khamenei, stating that Iran fully supports Armenia's territorial integrity and opposes any border changes in the region. Aref also emphasized Iran's commitment to fostering multi-sector cooperation with Armenia.

Prime Minister Pashinyan touched on the latest developments regarding discussions on the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty and the Armenian Government's "Crossroads of Peace" initiative, which aims to unblock regional channels. He stressed that Armenia is ready to contribute to developing trade and economic relations among interested states with an approach based on principles of sovereignty, jurisdiction, equality, and reciprocity.

Aref expressed Iran's support for the "Crossroads of Peace" project. Both sides discussed various aspects of bilateral trade and economic cooperation, including collaboration in energy, infrastructure, road construction, tourism, and other sectors.