TEHRAN – Negotiations were held here on Wednesday between a high-ranking delegation from Armenia headed by its President Robert Kocharian and officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran led by President Mahmud Ahmadinejad.

During the meeting, Ahmadinejad stressed the need for the two countries to make use of the huge potential for expanding bilateral ties in various fields.

The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes and supports the development of ties with Armenia in various areas particularly in energy fields as well as transportation, sports, and tourism, he noted.

Ahmadinejad stated that so far six successful sessions have been held by the Iran-Armenia joint cooperation committee, adding that new documents will be signed between the two countries during the Armenian president’s stay in Iran.

Iran and Armenia also enjoy good cooperation on regional and international issues, the president said, adding, “I hope the Armenian president’s trip to Iran would serve as an important step toward the development of all-out ties between the two countries.”

For his part, Kocharian expressed pleasure with his visit to Tehran and recalled the good memories of his last visit to the country.

Fortunately, Iran and Armenia enjoy extended ties and have signed as many as 90 documents on mutual cooperation, he said.

He added that the countries should take new steps to implement previous agreements.

Kocharian expressed his country’s readiness to develop ties with Iran in the fields of energy and transportation particularly in a project to connect the two countries’ railway systems.

He also called for efforts to increase the power transmission capacity between the two neighboring countries.

Kocharian invited Ahmadinejad to pay an official visit to Armenia for inaugurating joint projects.

The two presidents were to sign new agreements in a special ceremony Wednesday afternoon in Tehran.

Iran is building a pipeline to supply Armenia with needed natural gas, much of which now comes from Russia.

Earlier this spring, OAO Gazprom (GSPBEX.RS) announced a deal that would give the Russian state-controlled gas monopoly ownership rights to the Armenian segment of a planned pipeline; Armenian officials denied they were turning control of the pipeline over to Gazprom.

President Kocharian arrived here at the head of a high-ranking politico-economic delegation for a two-day official visit Wednesday morning.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan and Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Kirakosian are accompanying the president in this visit.

The Armenian president, during his two-day stay here, is scheduled to hold separate meetings with senior Iranian officials including Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki.