Category: 2021

 20:56,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Tuesday that the military drill held in northwest of Iran was a sovereignty issue and the Islamic Republic of Iran wouldn’t tolerate the presence of the Israeli regime near its borders, ARMENPRESS reports, citing IRNA.

Asked about the statements made by Azerbaijan Republic President concerning Iran’s military exercise held in the northwest of the country, the spokesman said that the way the Azerbaijani President has expressed the remarks was surprising, as the two countries have good, respectful relations and enjoy normal paths of communication at the highest levels.

Khatibzadeh said that foreign ministers of Iran and Azerbaijan Republic have seriously and closely discussed this issue and other subjects in a meeting on the sidelines of the United National General Assembly in New York.

The top diplomats have agreed to continue the talks in a proper ground, according to the spokesman.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has always rejected any type of territorial occupation and emphasized the necessity of respecting territorial integrity of countries and internationally recognized borders, Khatibzadeh went on to say.

Observing the principle of good neighborliness is among the most important topics the Iran expects its neighbors to consider, he stressed.

The diplomat also explained that the military exercise in the northwest regions of Iran was a sovereign issue and was aimed at securing peace and stability in the region.

The Islamic Republic of Iran wouldn’t tolerate the presence of the Israeli regime, although exhibitive, near the borders of Iran and would do whatever it deems necessary for its security.

 21:14,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan received on September 28 Ambassador of the USA to Armenia Lynne Tracy.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Security Council, the sides highly appreciated the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs aimed at the political settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan noted that the unblocking of communication channels in the region can play an important role in establishing comprehensive, lasting peace in the region. The side also referred to the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The parties also touched upon a number of areas of Armenian-American cooperation, reaffirming the intention to resume the bilateral strategic dialogue. In this context, Ambassador Tracy praised the efforts of the Government of Armenia in the field of judicial reform and the fight against corruption, noting the effectiveness of the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in the process of democratic reform.

 10:25,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism sector in Armenia saw some activeness in the summer, according to data released by the Tourism Committee.

A total of 313,396 tourists visited Armenia in the summer, while the figure for January-August stood at 488,558.

Most tourists came from Russia, followed by Iran and Georgia, and Ukraine and India, among others.

The most active tourism month was August (143,168 visitors). In June and July the number of inbound tourists was 64,101 and 106,127 respectively.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 11:10,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. 896 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed over the last 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total number of confirmed cases to 260,675, the Armenian healthcare ministry said in a press release.

6402 tests were administered.

461 people recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 241,191.

22 people died, bringing the death toll to 5299. This number doesn’t include the deaths of 1208 other individuals (3 in the last 24 hours) infected with COVID-19 who died from co-morbidities.

As of September 29, the number of active cases stood at 12,977.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 11:16,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS.  The National Cinema Center of Armenia selected director Nora Martirosyan’s Should the Wind Drop as a submission for the 94th Academy Awards Best International Feature Film category.

Should the Wind Drop is a 2020 Armenian-Belgian-French drama film starring Grégoire Colin and Hayk Bakhryan. The film was produced by Sister Productions in France, Kwassa Films in Belgium, and Aneva in Armenia.

The film was selected for the 73rd edition of the Cannes Festival.

Editing by Stepan Kocharyan

 11:41,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Renowned film director and artist Sergei Parajanov’s (1924-1990) son Suren Parajanov has passed away at the age of 63, the Sergei Parajanov Museum said in a statement.

Suren Parajanov was residing in Kiev, Ukraine.

Other details weren’t immediately available.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 11:48,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS North Korea has claimed that it successfully tested a new hypersonic missile called Hwasong-8 on Tuesday.

State media said the new missile was one of the “five most important” new weapons systems laid out in its five-year military development plan.

They called the missile a “strategic weapon”.

“The development of this weapons system…[has increased] the nation’s capabilities for self-defence in every way,” North Korean state news outlet KCNA said.

 12:09,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian historical-cultural heritage, located in the territories currently under the control of Azerbaijan as a result of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war, is under a serious danger, Artsakh’s Permanent Representative to Armenia Sergei Ghazaryan said during the session of the Armenian parliamentary standing committee on human rights and public affairs.

Mr. Ghazaryan said that the fates of over 2000 monuments under the Azerbaijani control are endangered. These monuments include 13 monasteries, 122 churches, 52 castles and 523 cross-stones.

“127 school libraries, 12 museums with more than 20,000 samples, have been left in the lost territories of Artsakh”, he said.

Sergei Ghazaryan said after the 2020 November 9 statement on the ceasefire, cases of vandalism and destructions of Armenian cultural heritage have been registered, including the deliberate targeting of Shushi’s St. Ghazanchetsots church and the St. Hovhannes Mkrtich church.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:14,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan kicked off in the Russian city of Sochi on September 29.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the various aspects of the Russian-Turkish cooperation in political, commercial and economic areas, as well as relevant international issues, including the situation in Syria, Libya, Afghanistan and the South Caucasus.

The last in-person meeting of Putin and Erdogan was held in March 2020 at the Kremlin during Erdogan’s working visit to Moscow. After that all the talks were held either by phone or remotely because of COVID-19.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 15:19,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan received today Ambassador of Bulgaria to Armenia Kalin Vasilev Anastasov, the ministry told Armenpress.

The officials in their remarks praised the rich agenda of the Armenian-Bulgarian relations and exchanged views on the expansion of cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Ararat Mirzoyan and Kalin Anastasov highlighted the positive dynamics registered in commercial sector, the ongoing works for opening direct flights between the capitals of the two countries, as well as emphasized the role of the bilateral inter-governmental commission on economic cooperation for the further development of the partnership.

The Armenian FM and the Bulgarian Ambassador discussed also the further development of the Armenia-EU partnership and the cooperation within the Eastern Partnership.

The meeting also touched upon the current humanitarian problems facing Artsakh caused by the Azerbaijani aggression.

Both officials emphasized the necessity of the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan