As of December 30, border control at the Agarak checkpoint on the Armenian-Iranian border has been fully transferred to Armenia’s Border Guards. For the first time since gaining independence, this checkpoint will be managed exclusively by Armenian border guards.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the transition on his Facebook page, thanking Russian border guards for their prior service and wishing success to the Armenian personnel now responsible for securing the border. Until this point, the Agarak checkpoint had been under the control of the Border Guards of the Russian Federation.
The decision to transfer control of the checkpoint to Armenian border guards was reached during a meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 8. Under the agreed terms, starting January 1, 2025, the Border Troops of Armenia's National Security Service will also begin participating in the protection of the state borders with Iran and Turkey.
These changes come amid a broader transformation in Armenian-Russian relations, including earlier decisions to withdraw Russian border guards from Zvartnots Airport and Russian military personnel from the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
