15:33,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. Iran has reiterated its support to Armenia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Ambassador of Iran to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani, on August 25, said that Iran “defends the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Armenia.”

“Our principled policy is to develop relations with the Republic of Armenia. We defend Armenia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Ambassador Sobhani told reporters during an economic exhibition in Yerevan.

The ambassador added that Armenia and Iran have never had any problems in any area or level, especially since Armenia regained its independence.

 15:39,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. The economic activity index in Armenia grew 10,4% in January-July 2023 compared to the same period of 2022, according to data released by the Statistical Committee.

Industrial production volume increased 0,5%, construction grew 17,2% and trade turnover grew 23%.

Services grew 14,9%.

The consumer price index grew 3,6%, while the industrial product price index remained the same.

Electricity production dropped 3,5%.

62,6% growth was recorded in foreign trade turnover (exports grew 62,1% while imports grew 63%).

 16:10,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. An exhibition showcasing the products offered by Armenian and Iranian companies in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing and tourism opened in Yerevan on Friday with the purpose of boosting bilateral trade between Armenia and Iran.

60 Iranian and 50 Armenian companies operating in 7 free trade zones of Iran are represented at the three-day exhibition.

Armenian Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan and Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani personally attended the opening of the exhibition.

Kerobyan said that the event will enable investors from both countries to discover the opportunities.

“Although trade turnover between Armenia and Iran doubled in the past two years, the pace of growth is slowing down, and we must find new opportunities to bring bilateral turnover to the target which was outlined by the leaders of the two countries, which is 3 billion dollars. We are now at a pace of about 800 million dollars,” Kerobyan said, adding that cooperation through free trade zones will boost bilateral trade turnover.

Kerobyan said that Iranians are the second major foreign investors in Armenia, behind only Russians. Approximately 300 Iranian companies opened in Armenia in the first half of 2023 alone. The Armenian economy minister lauded the pace but said that there are opportunities to increase it.

Mentioning the temporary free trade agreement between the EEU and Iran, which will be signed in a final version soon, Kerobyan said that Armenia is highly interested in the signing of the agreement. “Armenia, being the only land connection between Iran and the EEU, is highly interested in the signing of this agreement, which should allow Armenia’s role for Iran and the EEU to expand,” he said.

Ambassador of Iran to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani said Iran has a principled policy of developing relations with Armenia in all sectors.

“Iran and Armenia have never had any problems in any sector or level,” he said. Free trade zones have a big role in developing trade ties and the exhibition will contribute to diversification of bilateral relations, he added.

Hojjatollah Abdolmaleki, the Secretary of the Supreme Council of Free Trade-Industrial and Special Economic Zones of Iran and presidential advisor, said that this is the first event where 7 free zones are represented.

Abdolmaleki pointed out a number of advantages offered by the Iranian free zones, such as the presence of developed infrastructures, opportunity to establish contacts with various markets, customs privileges and others. The free zones have investors from China, Russia, Australia, Belgium, Iraq, Armenia and the UAE. He said that making investments in Iran’s free zones is profitable.

 16:15,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. The Pan Armenian Council of Western USA has launched a 24-hour nationwide hunger strike in solidarity with Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

The Pan Armenian Council of Western USA demands affirmative action by U.S. President Biden and the U.S. Department of State, to prevent a new Armenian Genocide at the hands of the Aliyev regime by:

-Ensuring the immediate re-opening of the Lachin Corridor by introducing and facilitating the passage of a UN Security Council Resolution requiring Azerbaijan to adhere to the February 22, 2023, preliminary measure of the ICJ ordering Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor;

-Immediately halting all U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan in light of the illegal humanitarian blockade imposed on the Armenians of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), consistent with Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act;

-Sanctioning members of the Aliyev regime under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by individual members of the Aliyev regime;

-Delivering $100 million in USAID humanitarian assistance to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) through the Lachin Corridor to ensure the survival of the 120,000 civilians who have been completely blockaded since June 15, 2023;

-Introducing a UN Security Council resolution to establish a United Nations Mission in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) [UNMINK] consisting of 5,000 international military personnel to ensure the physical security of the population.

Congressmen Adam Schiff and Brad Sherman joined the members of the Armenian community for a press briefing during the demonstration held outside the Azeri consulate in Los Angeles. 

“We are watching a humanitarian catastrophe unfold in Artsakh. Yesterday, I joined my colleague Adam Schiff and the Armenian community at a press conference in my district. We must hold the Aliyev regime accountable and end U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan,” Sherman said on X.

Congressman Schiff called on the U.S. government to act.

“I stand with Artsakh’s 120,000 residents, and the Armenian diaspora defending them. Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor must end.  The US recognized the Armenian Genocide and said never again. We must do more than pledge. We must act,” Schiff said on X.

 11:42,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil praised newcomer Arsen Zakharyan after his first performance for the Spanish La Liga club against Las Palmas which ended in a draw.

“Honestly he surprised me,” Alguacil told reporters. “Not in terms of the level but how he’s adapted to the team,” the head coach added, praising the Russian-Armenian footballer. He said Zakharyan will become a great player in the future.

Russian national team midfielder Arsen Zakharyan, 20, joined Real Sociedad on August 19. He signed a contract with the club until the end of the 2028–29 season. Zakharyan played for FC Dynamo Moscow for three years before that.

 12:33,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. The Danish government on Friday said it will propose a law that would make it illegal to desecrate any holy book in Denmark, where a recent after a series of burnings of the Quran led to uproar in Muslim countries, AP reports. 

The Danish government seeks to extend Denmark’s existing ban on burning foreign flags by also “prohibiting improper treatment of objects of significant religious significance to a religious community,” Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said. 

“The bill will make it punishable, for example, to burn the Quran or the Bible in public. It will only aim at actions in a public place or with the intention of spreading in a wider circle,” Hummelgaard said. He said such acts would be punishable by fines or up to two years in prison.

Hummelgaard told a news conference that the recent protests were “senseless taunts that have no other purpose than to create discord and hatred.”

Denmark’s government has repeatedly distanced itself from the desecrations, but has insisted that freedom of _expression_ is one of the most important values in Danish society. It said that would not be affected by the proposed law.

Freedom of _expression_ is “a cornerstone of Danish democracy, and the freedom to express oneself is a central value in Danish society,” Hummelgaard said. The proposal is “a targeted intervention which does not change the fact that freedom of _expression_ must have a very broad framework in Denmark,” he said.

 12:46,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. Italy’s northern city of Milan registered a new record high average daily temperature of 33 Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday as a heatwave which began around mid-August reached its peak, Reuters reported citing the regional environmental protection agency (ARPA).

It was the hottest day since the Milano Brera weather station started recording temperatures in 1763. Milan’s previous record of 32.8 C was set on Aug. 11, 2003.

The Italian capital Rome registered a record peak of 41.8 Celsius (°C) in July, as much of southern Europe broiled this summer, fuelling wildfires, prompting governments to issue health warnings, and disrupting holidays for many tourists.

ARPA said in a statement that Aug. 23 and 24 have been the hottest days of the summer across the whole of the Lombardy region which surrounds Milan, with several towns registering peak temperatures above 40 C.

 13:35,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. United States Senator Bill Cassidy has accused Azerbaijan of committing a crime against humanity in Nagorno-Karabakh by weaponizing food.

“The humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is growing more and more dire by the day. If Azerbaijan doesn’t lift the blockade people will starve. Weaponizing food constitutes an Article 7 Violation of the Rome Statutes, a ‘Crime against Humanity,’” Cassidy said in a post on X.