Author: Anna Tamamian

The NATO Land Forces Command in Smyrna congratulates Turkey on the Asia Minor Catastrophe

Anna Tamamian
Aug 30 2023

The NATO Land Forces Command (LANDCOM) based in Izmir posted a congratulatory message to Turkey on the anniversary of the Asia Minor Disaster 1922.

"LANDCOM wishes a happy Victory and Turkish Armed Forces Day to our host nation. On this very special day, we would like to express our gratitude to Türkiye for their hospitality as our hosts here at LANDCOM. Since joining NATO in 1952, Türkiye has participated in multiple operations and exercises and has always demonstrated the great professionalism and tenacity of its soldiers. Türkiye and NATO are stronger and safer together!"

A similar message was posted last year on the same day, provoking a strong reaction from Greece, which went to NATO and asked for an explanation and succeeded in deleting the post.

Today, August 30, Turkey celebrates the so-called "Victory Day", the anniversary of the Turkish army's victory over Greek forces in the 1922 Battle of Dumlupınar in Asia Minor.

The end of the battle of Dumlupınar spelt the beginning of the end for the 4,000+ year-old Greek presence in Anatolia. The last Greek troops left Anatolia on 18 September. The Armistice of Mudanya was signed by Turkey, Italy, France and Great Britain on 11 October 1922.

Greece was forced to accede to it on 14 October. 1922 To commemorate this victory, 30 August (also liberation day of Kütahya) is celebrated as Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı), a national holiday in Turkey.

The Turkish-perpetrated Greek Genocide would come to an end in 1923 with the population exchange of Muslims and Christians between Greece and Turkey.

https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/08/30/nato-turkey-asia-minor-disaster/

Congressmen Sherman & Schiff Join Pan Armenian Council of West USA to Demand Action on the Crisis in Artsakh

Anna Tamamian
Aug 29 2023

  

Aug 29, 2023 
Press Release

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) and Congressman Adam Schiff (CA-30) spoke at a press conference hosted by the Pan Armenian Council of Western USA (PAC WUSA) to demonstrate unity with the 120,000 residents of Artsakh facing a dire humanitarian crisis caused by Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockade of Artsakh. 

"We are watching a humanitarian catastrophe unfold in Artsakh," said Congressman Sherman. "We must hold the Aliyev regime accountable and end U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan."

Key community figures joined the event, including Los Angeles City Council President Paul Krekorian, and Glendale Mayor Dan Brotman. The underlying goal of the press conference was to demand tangible action by President Biden’s Administration to end the illegal blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan and ensure security and stability for the Armenian people.

https://sherman.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressmen-sherman-schiff-join-pan-armenian-council-of-west-usa-to

Congressman Pallone slams Aliyev for deepening ethnic cleansing campaign against Armenians

Anna Tamamian

 11:28, 2 September 2023

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. United States Congressman Frank Pallone has accused Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev of deepening his campaign of ethnic cleansing against Armenians.

“The deadly attacks by Azeri forces today & the brutalization of innocent Armenian students earlier this week are further proof that Aliyev is using the Lachin blockade to intimidate & target Armenians in Artsakh. He is deepening his campaign of ethnic cleansing against Armenians,” Pallone said in a post on X.

Turkish Press: Azerbaijan rejects allegations on targeting EU observers’ vehicles

Anna Tamamian
DAILY SABAH
Turkey – Aug 15 2023

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry rejected Armenia's claims that its forces fired on EU observers' vehicles in the Karabakh region on Tuesday.

"On August 15, at around 12:20 p.m. (0820GMT), the information spread in Armenian media resources about the shooting by the units of the Azerbaijani Army in the direction of EU observers and their car in the area of Yukhari Shorja settlement of Basarkechar district is not true," said a statement issued by the ministry.

The statement said the allegations made were "another disinformation" attempt by the Armenian side.

The time, route, and registration number plates of the cars used by the EU mission were shared with Azerbaijan in advance, and Baku was aware of the mission's trips, it added.

"For this reason, it is theoretically and practically impossible for such a situation to occur as claimed by the Armenian Ministry of Defense," the statement concluded.

The European Union's border monitoring mission in Armenia said Tuesday one of its patrols had come under fire on the volatile border.

"No EUMA member was harmed," the EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA) said on social media, confirming its personnel were "present to the shooting incident in our area of responsibility."

The EU established a civilian mission in Armenia on the country's border with neighboring Azerbaijan back in February.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

In the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation during 44 days of clashes. The war ended with a Russia-brokered peace agreement.

Despite ongoing talks over a long-term peace agreement, tensions between the neighboring countries rose in recent months over the Lachin corridor, the only land route giving Armenia access to Karabakh.

Armenian travel insiders visiting Iran on fam tour

Anna Tamamian
 TEHRAN TIMES 
Iran – Aug 14 2023
  1. Tourism
– 18:22

TEHRAN – Eight tour operators and tourism experts from Armenia are visiting Iran attractions on a feminization tour, a tourism ministry official in charge of foreign tourism marketing said on Sunday.

“This group is set to pay visits to different parts of Tehran to be acquainted with the province’s tourism capacities in terms of historical and cultural attractions, sports, and culinary tourism,” Leyla Ajdari said.

UNESCO-designated Golestan Palace, Tochal ski resort as well as cultural-historical complexes of Niavaran and Sadabad are among the designations embedded in the 5-day itinerary of the Armenian travel insiders, the official said.

It is the tenth fam tour organized by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts since the beginning of the current [Iranian calendar] year, Ajdari said.

On July 30, Iran announced all remaining COVID travel restrictions, such as pre-departure test requirements, had been lifted for passengers entering the country.

The Islamic Republic welcomed 986,652 foreign nationals during the same period last year, and a 43 percent rise may indicate the country’s recovering from a previous travel slump caused by COVID restrictions.

Based on available data, Iran’s medical tourism revenues reached $1 billion during the past Iranian calendar year (which ended on March 20). People from the neighboring countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Oman, Bahrain, Armenia, and Tajikistan, constitute the lion’s share of medical tourists arriving in the country.

Earlier this month, Iranian travel expert Ebrahim Pourfaraj said the country would see a considerable increase in international visitors next autumn compared to previous seasons this year.

The former head of the Iranian Tour Operators Association said there will be a change in the number of foreign nationals visiting the country. “Although we didn’t have many [inbound] tours in the summer, the number of requests to travel to Iran in the fall is high.”

Pourfaraj even anticipated a further boost for foreign arrivals in the upcoming spring season next year. “There are problems in the path of foreign tourists, which we hope to be resolved in the near future.”

The Islamic Republic expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 26 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

AFM

Authorities expect audience of 25,000 people at upcoming Snoop Dogg show in Yerevan

Anna Tamamian

 11:44,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government allocated on August 11 around $6,000,000 for organizing the upcoming concert of American rapper Snoop Dogg.

The 17-time Grammy nominated artist is set to perform in Yerevan on September 23 in what he described will be a ‘legendary’ concert.

Up to 25,000 people are expected to attend the concert at the Hrazdan Stadium.

The government also expects the concert to enable Armenia to access the international show business market and facilitate more concerts featuring popular artists.

The $6,000,000 was allocated to Doping Space, the event manager in charge of organizing the concert.

Up to 6,000 tourists are expected to arrive to Armenia for the concert.

Armenia and Iran extend gas-for-electricity deal until 2030

Anna Tamamian

 16:39,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Iran have extended the Gas for Electrical Energy agreement until 2030.

The extension was signed on August 10 at the Armenian Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures in Yerevan, between Aram Ghazaryan, the CEO of the Yerevan TPP, and Majid Chegeni, the Iranian Deputy Minister of Oil and Director of the National Gas Company, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures said in a press release.

Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan praised the agreement as one of the best manifestations of the friendly Armenian-Iranian relations.

“The extension of the agreement is a beneficial deal for the two countries. The extension enables to increase the volumes of gas imports and electrical energy exports, which will definitely have a positive impact on the economic development of the two countries,” Sanosyan said.

Chegeni also attached importance to the extension, adding that it will boost the development of Armenian-Iranian ties.

Armenian Minister of Internal Affairs, Indian Ambassador discuss expansion of cooperation

Anna Tamamian

 11:50, 5 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Internal Affairs Vahe Ghazaryan has met with the Ambassador of India to Armenia Nilakshi Saha Sinha.

During the meeting Minister Ghazaryan spoke about the ongoing reforms in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, particularly detailing the work in the subordinate divisions, the ministry said in a readout.

Ambassador Nilakshi Saha Sinha underscored the existing close relations and expressed readiness to strengthen and enhance cooperation.

The future directions of cooperation and other issues of mutual interest were also discussed.

New Iranian ambassador to Armenia begins mission

Anna Tamamian
 TEHRAN TIMES 
Iran –

TEHRAN- Mehdi Sobhani, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s new extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to Armenia, has formally begun his mission in the Caucasus nation after presenting his credentials to Armenian President Vahagn Khachatryan.

The president of Armenia congratulated Sobhani on his appointment as Iran’s ambassador to Yerevan during a meeting between the two officials, the IRNA reported on Saturday.

In reference to his nation’s cordial relations with Iran during the last three decades, Khachatryan expressed optimism that Sobhani’s tenure will similarly see a strengthening and development of such relationships.

For his part, the Iranian ambassador thanked the Armenian president for his gracious hospitality and said he was honored to convey the warm greetings of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to his Armenian counterpart and the people of his friendly country.

Sobhani continued by stating that there is significant room for the expansion of relations between Iran and Armenia given their long-standing historical connections.

Also, in a meeting with Iran’s new ambassador to Turkey, Mohammad Hassan Habibollah Zadeh on Thursday afternoon, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for closer cooperation with Iran in countering terrorism and Islamophobia, and Islamic unity.

Referring to the arrival of the month of Muharram and Ashura, the President of Turkey considered Ashura a symbol of Muslim equality and an excuse for the unity of Islamic societies.

He further mentioned various fields of cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Turkey and emphasized the importance of developing economic and commercial cooperation.

The Turkish leader said the realization of 30 billion dollars of trade between the two countries is within reach and called for efforts to remove trade barriers to realize the figure.

President Erdogan also called for increasing cooperation between the two countries in the field of countering terrorism and Islamophobia and the unity of the Islamic world.

Offering his warm greetings to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Iranian president, Erdogan invited Ebrahim Raisi to visit Turkey. He expressed satisfaction with the upcoming visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey to Tehran.

In the meeting, the new Iranian ambassador outlined his plans for boosting Iran-Turkey relations. 

“The main agenda of the institutions of the two countries is to develop relations, especially in the economic and commercial fields, and at the same time, cooperation and consensus in bilateral, regional and international political issues will be one of the most important issues to be pursued,” Habibollah Zadeh said. 

He pointed to the wide range of cooperation and consultations between the two countries in the political field, including the Astana process, quadrilateral talks, the Caucasus, Palestine, the Islamic world, and the fight against terrorism.

He also stressed the need to deepen interactions between two important countries regarding regional issues.

The Iranian ambassador praised the joint positions of Iran, Turkey and a number of Islamic countries regarding the desecration of the holy Quran, and considered it necessary to strengthen the unity and solidarity of Muslims to counter the trend of Islamophobia and insulting religious sanctities.

Iran has taken strong positions against the desecration of the Quran in Sweden and Denmark, including summoning the Swedish envoy.

Teach for Armenia secures generous gift for teacher preparation

Anna Tamamian
July 26, 2023 Guest Contributor News 0

The ninth cohort at Teacher Leadership Academy. Dilijan, Tavush Region, July 2023.

YEREVAN, Armenia—Teach For Armenia, a non-profit dedicated to enabling educational equity for all students in Armenia and Artsakh, is excited to share that a generous donation of $300,000 was made on behalf of Elie and Ela Akilian. Over the next three years, this contribution will specifically support Teach For Armenia’s annual Teacher Leadership Academy, a summer training program for newly-recruited Teacher-Leaders who will embark on a two-year journey teaching in public schools across our nation’s rural communities.

Teach For Armenia is also excited to share that we have secured an additional anonymous gift of $900,000 for the next three years to support our educational programs for youth across Armenia and Artsakh. We are grateful to our supporters for their trust and contribution to our collective work.

Founded by Larisa Hovannisian in 2013, Teach For Armenia is a Teacher Leadership Program based in Yerevan, Armenia. We recruit and train recent university graduates and professionals to teach in rural communities for a period of two years. Participants in our program are called Teacher-Leaders and work to cultivate leadership at every level of their school communities. After their time in the classroom, Teacher-Leaders become Alumni-Ambassadors who continue to advocate for education across sectors and at every level of leadership. Currently, Teach For Armenia places 175 Teacher-Leaders in every region of Armenia, as well as Artsakh. We reach over 30,000 students and have a network of 240 Alumni-Ambassadors.