July 11, 2007 - 20:17 AMT
RA President: Yerevan against sanctions on Iran
Armenia stands against sanctions on Iran, since they may cause big damage, RA President Robert Kocharian said in an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE. "I do not think that sanctions will solve the problem. The Iranian leaders are convinced that they work in the framework of international agreements. They insist that Iran's nuclear file doesn't
pursue military objects, while the West says the opposite. However, if Iranians once feel that the West applies double standards, they may think that they could even suffer for the just cause. I have an impression that toughening of sanctions will aggravate tension. It's hard to say what consequences this may have," Mr Kocharian said.

He noted that Armenia has constructive relations with Iran and develops economic cooperation. "Relations with two other neighbors - Azerbaijan and Turley- leave much to be desired, we do not want to spoil relations with Iran, in addition. Iran is a state with rich history. The roots of its state system go deep into centuries," the RA President said.