On Monday, January 9th, 2023, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I received the Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mujtaba Amani, accompanied by the Deputy Ambassador.
Two pressing issues were discussed during the meeting: the Lebanese Presidential election; and the urgency of reopening the Lachin Corridor.
Regarding the elections, His Holiness and the Ambassador expressed the imperative of inter-Lebanese unity around a political vision, which can pave the way towards the election of a president.
Concerning the Lachin Corridor, which continues to be under the Azerbaijani blockade for the third week causing a dire humanitarian crisis for the indigenous people of Artsakh, His Holiness said that 125 thousand Artsakh Armenians are deprived of basic needs. Apart from the political aspect, it is crucial at the moment to end the severe humanitarian crisis. His Holiness urged Iran to intervene in the reopening of the blockade
Later in the day, His Holiness received a delegation representing Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. A day prior, His Holiness had received a delegation representing Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rahi, as well as Syriac Archbishop George Saliba, representing Syriac Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, respectively.
