Author: Jane Topchian

Iran can become one of the main destinations for tourists from Armenia, Armenian economist Suren Parsyan said in an article published by News.am, the full text of which follows: 

I was in Tehran on a one-week visit, which was my second trip to one of the largest countries in the Middle East, with which Armenia has had historical and land connectivity extending over millennia.

In Tehran, I had the opportunity to get acquainted with the history, culture, tourism and economy of Iran close up. I had the honor of participating in the 16th International Tourism and Related Industries Exhibition held in Tehran on Feb. 7-10, during which Iranian provinces individually presented their attractions, hotel and recreational facilities, cultural heritage, customs, souvenirs, etc.

The signs and booklets of some Iranian companies representing Tabriz also contained Armenian information, clearly highlighting the Armenian cultural heritage and diaspora of that region.

The Armenian cultural heritage in Iran is always under the care of the state, which further increases Iran’s tourism potential and makes it even more interesting. It can become one of the best examples in the world of how it is possible to preserve Islamic and Christian cultural heritages side by side. 

The centers of Iranian culture and tourism are Shiraz, Qazvin, Tabriz, Kerman, Isfahan, Qom, Sanandaj, Khorasan, etc.

International Tourism and Related Industries Exhibition is organized on a regular basis. It is an effective platform for finding new partners, sharing experience and evaluating trends in the tourism sector, to which Armenian tourism companies should also be invited. 

Within the framework of the exhibition, Iran’s Minister of Tourism Ezzatollah Zarghami met with experts from Armenia at the invitation of Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts and the Iran-Armenian Friendship Association NGO.

It is noteworthy that 116,430 tourists from Iran arrived in Armenia in 2022, which is 27.5% more than last year. Although the total number of tourists departing from Armenia increased by 2.6 times during 2022, the tourist flows of Armenia to Iran are very small, which is mainly due to the lack of and sometimes incorrect information about Iran, the passivity of Iranian and Armenian travel companies, and other reasons.

However, in recent years, Kish (in Hormozgan Province), a small Iranian island in the Persian Gulf, has become a new and active tourist destination for Armenian tourists. It is one of the largest and most famous beach resorts in Iran and the Persian Gulf. The entire territory of the island is a free economic zone where you can buy goods of various importance at very affordable prices.

Cheap airline tickets can contribute to the growth of tourist flows [from Armenia] to Iran. I should mention that Armenian and Iranian airlines have several regular flights a week.

Iran implements its foreign policy on the principles of dignity, wisdom and expediency, which allows developing and expanding Armenian-Iranian trade and economic ties in all directions.

Armenian-Iranian political-economic relations have not been and cannot be to the detriment of third countries; Armenia and Iran have no alternative for development.

Currently, in this region, Iran is the only country that conducts a policy of stabilization and prevention of new conflicts, which is also in the interests of Armenia.

Tahar Rahim, who earned BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for his starring roles in “A Prophet” and “The Mauritanian,” is set to play Charles Aznavour, the iconic French-Armenian singer, songwriter and actor who sold more than 180 million records around the world.

Titled “Monsieur Aznavour,” the biopic will be directed by singer-turned-filmmakers Mehdi Idir and Grand Corps Malade (“Patients”), and produced by Jean-Rachid Kallouche’s Kallouche Cinema and Mandarin & Compagnie, the banner behind Francois Ozon’s and Anne Fontaine’s films.

Kallouche, who teamed with Eric and Nicolas Altmayer at Mandarin on Grand Corps Malade and Idir’s previous films, is married to Katia Aznavour, the daughter of the late artist. Filming will kick off in the summer for an estimated delivery in 2024, to mark Aznavour’s centenary.

The movie will chart Aznavour’s rise to stardom in the 1950s and his friendships with many artists, including Edith Piaf, who took him with her on a tour of France and the U.S. Kallouche said Aznavour gave him his blessing to produce his biopic before passing in 2018. “He was impressed with ‘Patients,’ and when I told him I wanted to make a film about his life one day, he said ‘yes’ right away,” Kallouche told Variety, adding that it was Aznavour’s idea that his biopic should focus on the first part of his life, “from zero to fame,’ as the producer puts it.

Aznavour, whose parents came to France after fleeing the genocide in Armenia, started his career acting at the age of 9. But he gained recognition as a singer and songwriter much later, when he was in the 30s. He eventually became a global star whose songs have been covered by other artists, including Ray Charles with “For Mama,” Bob Dylan with “The Times We’ve Known,” Liza Minnelli with “What Makes a Man a Man,” as well as Elvis Costello with “She,” for the soundtrack of the Julia Roberts film “Notting Hill.” Aznavour sang duets with many singers, including Sinatra on “You Make Me Feel So Young.” Sometimes referred to as the “French Frank Sinatra,” Aznavour also appeared in more than 60 films. CNN named him Entertainer of the Century in 1998, and he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017.

Kallouche said Rahim was the ideal actor to play the part of Aznavour, as they share many similarities, “the same sensibility, drive and passion for their work, as well as a malicious gaze.” They’ve also had to overcome adversity to achieve success. Rahim, who was born in France from immigrant parents like Aznavous, grew up in a large household in Northern France, broke through at the age of 28 with his performance in “A Prophet,” which won a prize at Cannes, an Oscar nomination and earned him a Cesar Award.

Rahim, who is one of France’s rare actors able to transform himself for roles, went on to become an international star with leading parts in “The Mauritanian” which earned a Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination, as well as “The Serpent,” which was also nominated for a Golden Globe. Rahim, whose career in the U.S. is taking off in a big way, recently wrapped the shoot of Sony’s superhero film “Madame Web” and will next be seen in “Extrapolations,” the series anthology created by Scott Z. Burns for Apple TV+ whose trailer is dropping today, as well as Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” which will come out in June. Like Aznavour, Rahim also leads a rich family life and shares three children with his wife, Leila Behkti, also an actor.

Grand Corps Malade and Idir’s previous two films “Patients” and “La Vie Scolaire” were B.O. hits in France and sold to major markets. Kallouche said the directors duo have been working tirelessly on the script for a year and a half.

Preparatory calls were made today in advance of tomorrow’s fourth Brussels meeting with foreign ministers of both countries.

EU Council President Charles Michel said on Wednesday that Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to step up efforts in advancing the conclusion of a peace treaty.

Michel held a trilateral meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Brussels.

“Today we agree to step up substantive work to advance on the peace treaty governing inter-state relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and tasked the Foreign Ministers to meet within one month to work on draft texts,” the statement said.

The EU is determined to support the establishment of long-term sustainable peace in the South Caucasus and will continue to closely work with all parties on reaching this goal, Michel added.

The leaders agreed to meet in the same format again by the end of November.

Read more: Iran confirms commitment to resisting bids to alter Caucasus borders

Earlier this month, it was reported that new tensions erupted over Nagorno-Karabakh as three soldiers were killed and Azerbaijan said it had taken control of several strategic heights in the disputed region.

Russia sent 2,000 peacekeepers to monitor the truce, but tensions remain despite a ceasefire deal.

This new wave of violence triggered international pleas for an urgent de-escalation.

The conflict initially began with both parties accusing each other of starting an overnight shootout at their shared border.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated in mid-April that his administration planned to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan shortly, adding that the main aim of the discussions for Yerevan would no longer be to agree on the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan.

The accord was viewed as a national shame in Armenia, sparking weeks of anti-government rallies, and prompting Pashinyan to seek emergency parliamentary elections, which his Civil Contract party won in September.

Opposition parties have accused Pashinyan of preparing to hand up sections of Karabakh that are still under Armenian control to Baku after he told parliamentarians last month that the “international community calls on Armenia to scale down demands on Karabakh.”

In May, Michel held a trilateral meeting with Pashinyan and Aliyev in Brussels, during which the leaders agreed to establish the commission on delimitation and security of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. On May 24, the first meeting of Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Shahin Mustafayev, took place at the Armenian-Azerbaijani interstate border in the format of a joint commission on border delimitation and security.

On July 16, both foreign ministers met for the first time since the war erupted. The Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Ararat Mirzoyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov “discussed a wide range of issues related to normalizing relations between the two countries.” 

More is yet to unfold in the upcoming meeting that is scheduled tomorrow in the mediation of Charles Michel.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/armenia-azerbaijan-agree-to-further-collaborate-on-peace-tre