News - Inaugural session of Armenia-Iran joint justice ministries committee takes place in Yerevan

The first session of the Joint Committee comprised of the Ministries of Justice of the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran recently took place at the Ministry of Justice. Leading this collaborative effort were Armenian Deputy Minister of Justice Armenuhi Harutyunyan and Iranian Deputy Minister of Justice Askar Jalalian, as announced by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia. The establishment of this committee stemmed from a memorandum of understanding signed by the justice ministers of both countries during a visit in 2021. Deputy Minister of Justice Armenuhi Harutyunyan extended a warm welcome to all participants, expressing gratitude to the head and members of the Iranian delegation for accepting the invitation to launch the committee's work with its inaugural session in Yerevan. During the committee's discussions, the delegations assessed the progress in implementing bilateral agreements between the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran governing various legal aspects. Of particular note was the examination of the July 5, 2006 agreement, "On mutual legal assistance in civil and criminal cases," which resulted in a decision to amend the agreement with a new clause, with the option of providing each other with the changes agreed through diplomatic channels. Acknowledging significant achievements in the extradition and transfer of convicts between the two countries, both parties pledged to address challenges that may arise during the implementation of these agreements through collaborative problem-solving. The parties reached an agreement to hold annual committee meetings, alternating between Yerevan and Tehran, as this approach is expected to further enhance and develop bilateral cooperation in the realm of legal assistance. The outcomes of the inaugural session's agenda discussions and decisions were documented in a Protocol, mutually agreed upon and signed by the delegation leaders.