Tehran, May 23 (IANS): Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has stressed that his country would continue its policy of expanding relations with Armenia.

During a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the Iranian capital Tehran, Khamenei stressed the historical and geographical commonalities and common interests between the two countries, according to a statement published on the Supreme Leader's website on Wednesday.

He said some parties were against the improvement of the strategic ties between the two countries, emphasising the need for careful handling of issues concerning the two countries, Xinhua news agency reported.

He also highlighted the late President Ebrahim Raisi's concern about border issues with Armenia, stressing the importance of maintaining attentiveness in addressing these issues.

Pashinyan, who is in Iran to attend Raisi's funeral on Wednesday, extended condolences for the deaths of Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other Iranian officials in a helicopter accident on Sunday in the northwestern Iranian province of East Azerbaijan.