Türkiye and Armenia are planning to permanently open the land borders between the two neighbors for the first time in over three decades, Armenian officials said Friday.

The land border will initially open only for diplomats and citizens of third countries until the beginning of the tourist season, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said.

There is already direct air traffic between Armenia and Türkiye.

Türkiye first opened the border in February when Armenia sent humanitarian aid transports and relief workers following the earthquakes that struck the country.

The borders between the two countries have been closed for decades, and diplomatic relations have been on hold.

Last year, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said Armenia wants to establish diplomatic relations with Türkiye without any preconditions.

Türkiye and Armenia have had no diplomatic or commercial ties for three decades, and the talks are the first attempt to restore links since a 2009 peace accord. That deal was never ratified, and connections have remained tense. Following the war over Karabakh in which Türkiye supported Azerbaijan against Armenia, Turkish-Armenian relations have entered a new phase, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan saying Türkiye is ready for dialogue with Armenia. Azerbaijan also supports the process.