22:24,
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani armed forces opened gunfire from mortars and large-caliber firearms at Armenian military positions in the eastern section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border around 20:00, September 21.
The Azeri shooting was suppressed with countermeasures, the defense ministry said.
One Armenian soldier was wounded.
As of 21:30 the situation on the border was stable.
The wounded soldier’s life is out of danger, the defense ministry added.
At a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi underscored that any change in the international borders of the region is unacceptable to Iran, the Iranian media reported.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Iran's president emphasized that Tehran is against paternalism, stating, "The basis of our policy in the region is that the future of the countries is determined by them, and their national sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected".
Citing examples of Iran's support for friends and neighbors during different crises, Raisi said that Iran is a friend of its neighbors.
Referring to the developments in the Caucasus, the Iranian president welcomed the "liberation" of Karabakh and preparations for its restoration. At the same time, he rejected any change in the international, historical and geopolitical borders of the region as unacceptable.
Garo Paylan, who has been studying destroyed Armenian churches in Van, addressed the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism.
According to Turkey's Sondaggi, Garo Paylan visited the Varaghavank, Zoradir St. Echmiadzin, and St. Bardokhemeos monasteries in Van and studied them on site.
Seeing that the monasteries were destroyed and on the verge of destruction, Garo Paylan turned to the Minister of Tourism and Culture with the words, "What benefit do you want to gain from the destruction of this monastery? Turkey will neither gain nor lose from the destruction of this monastery. Have you thought about that?"
European Women's Individual Chess Championship: Lilit Mkrtchyan shares 2-4 places ahead of final round
09:30,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. The European Women's Individual Chess Championship is nearing its end.
Armenia’s Maria Gevorgyan and Lilit Mkrtchyan played against each other, with Mkrtchyan winning the game. Elina Danielyan and Anna Sargsyan ended their games in draws, while Mariam Mkrtchyan scored a victory. Meanwhile, Susanna Gaboyan lost.
Ahead of the last round, Lilit Mkrtchyan shares the 2-4 places in the standings.
The organizer of the rally in Yerevan's Republic Square, former Armenian Ambassador to Poland and former head of the Constitutional Court Office Edgar Ghazaryan, accompanied by media representatives, went to the Armenian Government building and wants to meet with Prime Minister Pashinyan.
He said he has no plans to surround the Cabinet building.
"I will present him with three scenarios for leaving power. If he leaves his signature on his resignation statement, I will ask for photocopies. One photocopy I will send to the presidential administration, another I will bring and show to the citizens gathered in the square. If not, I will present two other scenarios of developments," Ghazaryan added.
A rally is being held in Yerevan's Republic Square demanding the resignation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
LACHIN, Azerbaijan, August 24. Residents of Azerbaijan’s Lachin filed a lawsuit with the European Court of Human Rights in the case of ‘Chiragov and others v. Armenia’ in 2005, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan Chingiz Asgarov told Trend.
According to Asgarov, the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of ‘Chiragov and Others v. Armenia’ in 2015 was the first and only international judicial document which confirmed the fact of the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia.
"Armenia's obligation under the judgment is to create a mechanism to consider the claims of Azerbaijani IDPs directly to the Armenian state. However, it refuses to pay the compensations under the pretext that in this case it would be recognized as the responsible state, although Armenia has already been recognized as such a state,” he said.
“We are taking measures in connection with the adoption of a decision on this issue by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and exerting pressure on Armenia," added the official.
15:42,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. An Azerbaijani soldier fighting for Ukraine was killed near Nikolayev, the Azerbaijani news media reported.
According to Ukraine-based Azeri journalist Anar Natikoghlu, the killed soldier’s name is Said Huseynov, a volunteer who joined the Ukrainian army to fight Russian forces.
Top military of Armenia and Russia discuss the process of modernization and reforms of the Armed Forces of Armenia
20:27,
YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. In the sidelines of his working visit to Russia, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, Major General Edward Asryan met with the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, 1st Deputy Minister of Defense, Army General Valery Gerasimov, ARMENPRESS reports, MoD Armenia informed.
Valery Gerasimov congratulated Edward Asryan on his appointment as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, and wished him effective and fruitful work for the benefit of the Republic of Armenia.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces presented to his Russian counterpart the recent developments on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, as well as the developments recorded in Artsakh and the current situation.
During the meeting, a number of issues related to the Armenian-Russian military cooperation were discussed. Reference was made to the modernization of the Armed Forces of Armenia and the course of reforms.
Aug 25, 2022 | 19:23 GMT
What Happened: Azerbaijani authorities assumed control of the Lachin Corridor area of the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region per the 2020 cease-fire agreement, and Russian peacekeepers in the area are reportedly moving to the incomplete alternative road between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia News reported Aug. 25. The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to meet in Brussels, Belgium, on Aug. 31 for talks mediated by the European Union.
Why It Matters: Transportation between Armenia and the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic through Lachin is expected to continue, but Armenian forces' departure from the area risks further isolating Nagorno-Karabakh by giving Azerbaijan the ability to sever the transportation links between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh should peace negotiations fail. According to Azerbaijani sources, construction of the alternative road connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh should be fully open in the coming days, as Azerbaijan said it would construct another 4.8 kilometers of the alternative highway; this will lead to the faster completion of the stipulations of the 2020 cease-fire and thereby speed the possible conclusion of a peace agreement. Additionally, the newly announced meeting between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan suggests that such talks are progressing steadily.
Background: On July 18, the secretary of Armenia's security council said Armenia will withdraw all its troops from Nagorno-Karabakh by September. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has threatened to officially not recognize Armenia's territorial integrity should a peace deal not be signed.
Radia Hovsepyan, 86, has set on fire the house he had built himself in Aghavno village of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).
In a video shared on social media, this elderly man can be seen pouring—with trembling hands—gasoline on the walls of this house and saying that even though it is his time to die, he will not let Azerbaijanis enter his house.
Artsakh Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Hayk Khanumyan had informed the Armenian residents of Aghavno village and Berdzor town that they had to leave their homes by August 25 as these settlements will be handed over to Azerbaijan. The majority of the local population has already left these communities.