Category: 2024

 10:00, 5 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Islamic State claimed responsibility on Thursday for two explosions in Iran that killed nearly 100 people and wounded over 280 others at a memorial for top commander Qassem Soleimani, Reuters reports.

In a statement posted on its affiliate Telegram channels, the Islamic State said two of its members had detonated explosive belts in the crowd that had gathered at the cemetery in the southeastern Iranian city of Kerman on Wednesday. The Iranian government declared the bombings a terrorist attack.

The memorial was marking the fourth anniversary of the death of Soleimani, who was assassinated in Iraq in 2020 by a U.S. drone.

Tehran has vowed revenge for the bombings.  The twin blasts wounded 284 people, including children.

"A very strong retaliation will be meted out to them by the hands of the soldiers of Soleimani," Reuters quoted Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber as saying.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has condemned what he called Wednesday's "heinous and inhumane crime". Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, vowed revenge for the bombings.

The United Nations Security Council in a statement condemned what it called Wednesday's "cowardly terrorist attack" and sent its condolences to the victims' families and the Iranian government.

 10:23, 5 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. The United States will continue conducting "important diplomatic efforts" for Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Russia doesn’t prevent it from doing so, United States Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller has said.

“Russia does not in any way prevent us from conducting the important diplomatic efforts we think are necessary for Armenia and Azerbaijan, and we will continue to pursue them,” Miller said at a press briefing when asked to comment on Russia’s statement calling on other countries not to interfere in the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process.

Asked on a possible Armenia-Azerbaijan foreign ministerial meeting in Washington, Miller said the State Department will make an announcement whenever such a meeting is scheduled.

 14:47, 5 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Iran will respond to the Kerman terror attack, Ambassador of Iran to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani has said.

“Our nation is in sorrow,” Sobhani told Armenpress when asked whether Iran will respond to the Kerman bombings given that the Islamic State assumed responsibility for the bombings. “We are under public pressure in terms of giving a strong response. But we don’t want to act emotionally. We will respond accordingly taking into account the time and the form of the response. Terrorists can’t hold us back from our path by creating an atmosphere of fear. We will definitely punish our enemies, but we will take into account that factors [time and form of response.]”

 18:31, 5 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Armenian Security Council Armen Grigoryan on Friday visited the Iranian Embassy in Yerevan  and  made a note in Condolence Book opened at the Embassy, wishing a speedy recovery to the victims of the terrorist attack in Kerman.

According to Sputnik Armenia, in an interview with journalists, Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan said that Armenia is in contact with the Islamic Republic of Iran to understand what assistance  Armenia could provide to the friendly country.

"The Republic of Armenia condemns  any form of terrorism and  is ready to help the Islamic Republic of Iran, its government and the people to overcome the difficult situation," said Grigoryan.

 11:44, 5 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday presented a four-pronged plan for how to handle the Gaza Strip after the ongoing war with Hamas ends, the Times of Israel reports.

The plan, which was set to be presented in discussions on Thursday evening in both the limited war cabinet and the broader security cabinet, does not include a role for the Palestinian Authority, and it does not provide for resettling Gaza.

The plan marks the first time a senior Israeli official has laid out a detailed blueprint for the Strip after the war, but it does not yet represent official policy, as there are stark differences over it within the coalition.

Gallant told journalists before the meeting that his framework is based on the assumption that Hamas is no longer in control of Gaza and does not pose a security threat to Israel. It focuses on the civil governance of the strip, with Israel retaining military control on the borders, and the right to take any military and security action necessary inside Gaza.

“Gaza residents are Palestinian, therefore Palestinian bodies will be in charge, with the condition that there will be no hostile actions or threats against the State of Israel,” the Times of Israel quoted Gallant as saying.

While Gallant’s insistence on full Israeli security control and freedom of action is shared by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Gallant plan’s emphasis on Palestinian civilian control over Gaza, with no Israeli civilian presence there, has angered hardline coalition partners. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, whose desire for renewed Jewish settlement in Gaza is ruled out in Gallant’s plan, said Thursday that he firmly opposed it. “Gallant’s ‘day after’ plan is a re-run of the ‘day before’ October 7,” Smotrich said. “The solution for Gaza requires out-of-the-box thinking and a changed conception.” Smotrich repeated his contention that a solution for Gaza involves “encouraging voluntary emigration [of Gazans] and full [Israeli] security control including renewed settlement.”

The Israeli defense minister’s plan, which has already been presented to the US administration and discussed with other allies, has four “pillars” for civil rule in post-war Gaza.

First, Israel will coordinate and plan an oversight role in civil governance, and be responsible for inspecting incoming goods.

Second, a multinational task force, led by the US in partnership with European and moderate Arab nations, will take responsibility for running civil affairs and the economic rehabilitation of the Strip.

Third, Egypt, which is noted as a “major actor” in the plan, will take responsibility for the main civilian border crossing into the Gaza Strip, in coordination with Israel.

Fourth, existing Palestinian administrative mechanisms will be maintained, provided that the relevant officials are not affiliated with Hamas. Local authorities that currently deal with sewage, electricity, water and humanitarian aid distribution will continue to operate, in collaboration with the multinational task force.

 20:08, 5 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Lebanon has filed an official complaint with the UN Security Council against the Israeli occupation regarding the attack on the southern suburb of the capital, Beirut, according to Al Qahera News Channel.

The complaint accuses Israel of violating Lebanese sovereignty and international law. It also calls for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.

 14:09, 5 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Government officials, foreign diplomats, NGO representatives and members of the public visited on Friday the Iranian Embassy in Yerevan to express condolences on the deadly Kerman bombings.

The embassy has opened a condolence book.

After signing the condolence book, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan told reporters that the Kerman bombings showed that countries must continue to carry out a united fight against terrorism.

“The government of the Republic of Armenia, both the President, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, have conveyed condolence telegrams to their counterparts in Iran regarding the terror attack in Kerman. I’d like to once again reaffirm that any act of terrorism resulting in the deaths and injury of innocent people is unacceptable for the Republic of Armenia,” Kostanyan said.

Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan also expressed condolences to the people of Iran and those affected by the attack.

“Highlighting the common values and mutual understanding between the two nations, I underscored Armenia’s stance against all forms of terrorism. The Iranian Ambassador and embassy representatives welcomed this gesture of solidarity. During a dialogue we underscored the importance of international cooperation in the fight against terrorism and ensuring regional security. Bilateral commitment was underscored for joint work in the direction of strengthening relations and peace and stability in the region. My visit to the Iranian embassy today was an important step to display Armenia’s support to Iran at this difficult time and strengthen the lasting friendship between the two countries,” Kerobyan said.

Ambassador of Iran to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani thanked the Armenian people and government officials for expressing condolences.

“The fact that we stand by one another at difficult times is a testament to our deep friendly and historical relations. Long live Armenia. Long live the Armenian people. Long live Iran. Long live the Iranian people,” the Ambassador said.

The Ambassador said that the Kerman bombings showed that “Iran’s enemies are afraid of Lt. general Qasem Soleimani’s supporters and events dedicated to him.”

Islamic State claimed responsibility on Thursday for two explosions in Iran that killed nearly 100 people and wounded over 280 others at a memorial for top commander Qassem Soleimani, Reuters reports.

In a statement posted on its affiliate Telegram channels, the Islamic State said two of its members had detonated explosive belts in the crowd that had gathered at the cemetery in the southeastern Iranian city of Kerman on Wednesday. The Iranian government declared the bombings a terrorist attack.

The memorial was marking the fourth anniversary of the death of Soleimani, who was assassinated in Iraq in 2020 by a U.S. drone.

Tehran has vowed revenge for the bombings.  The twin blasts wounded 284 people, including children.

"A very strong retaliation will be meted out to them by the hands of the soldiers of Soleimani," Reuters quoted Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber as saying.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has condemned what he called Wednesday's "heinous and inhumane crime". Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, vowed revenge for the bombings.

The United Nations Security Council in a statement condemned what it called Wednesday's "cowardly terrorist attack" and sent its condolences to the victims' families and the Iranian government.

 12:57, 5 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. 223 people, including 5 children, were killed in Nagorno-Karabakh in the 19-20 September 2023 Azerbaijani attack, a senior law enforcement official in Armenia has said.

Argishti Kyaramyan, the Head of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, told First Channel News that the number of those wounded was 244.

He said that the Investigative Committee launched criminal proceedings on ethnic cleansing and the circumstances of the forced displacement of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh are being investigated within the framework of that probe.

“223 people, of whom 25 were civilians, were killed as a result of the September 19-20, 2023 Azerbaijani aggression in Nagorno-Karabakh. The death toll includes five minors,” Kyaramyan said.

Another 244 were wounded, including 76 civilians (10 children).

20 people, including 5 civilians, are missing.

Over 20 cases of desecration of bodies were documented.

Over 70 others died en route from NK to Armenia, as well as shortly after arrival. “This is mostly due to the severe psychological impact that our compatriots went through,” Kyaramyan said.

 13:02, 5 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. 55 Armenians are currently held captive in Azerbaijan but Baku has so far acknowledged only 23 of them, a senior law enforcement official has said.

Argishti Kyaramyan, the Head of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, told First Channel News that Azerbaijan has confirmed holding 23 Armenians captive but they have evidence on the forced disappearance of another 32 persons after the 2020 war.

“At this moment 23 compatriots confirmed by Azerbaijan are being held there, 17 of whom are persons captured as a result of the 2023 aggression. We have evidence regarding the forced disappearance of 32 persons after the 44-day war, which we have presented to supranational organizations,” Kyaramyan said.

Furthermore, even the European Court of Human Rights indicated interim measures regarding 22 of the prisoners, however Azerbaijan denies the fact that these persons have been taken captive.

 15:01, 5 January 2024

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is becoming more appealing for tourists especially in the winter season as the sector is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact, officials say.

Armenian Tourism Federation President Mekhak Apresyan told Armenpress that seemingly everything is starting all over again in the tourism sector after the pandemic, because tourism had stopped.

“The sector began to gradually recover after the coronavirus, and eventually we had a very good result, we surpassed even the 2019 figures with the total number of visits,” he said.

Apresyan said that all steps must be carried out simultaneously for the development of winter tourism in Armenia. He said that winter tourism infrastructures must be developed and improved, and Armenia’s tourism opportunities must be properly presented in the global market.

Although winter tourism in Armenia is steadily developing, officials continue to carry out marketing campaigns especially in the direction of countries that don’t have such a potential.

“Currently large-scale work is carried out in the UAE, especially in Dubai, in order to draw the attention of local tourists on Armenia in the winter season,” Anahit Voskanyan, the advisor to the president of the Tourism Committee, told Armenpress.

One Way Tour agency concurred that winter tourism is gradually developing in Armenia.

“Russia was leading in the list of countries where most tourists chose Armenia as a tourist destination, but in 2023 December the statistics changed towards Arab countries, such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and others. One of the reasons of this change is the snow, because most of the tourists who’ve come from these countries are seeing snow for the first time here in Armenia,” One Way Tour marketing director Satenik Abrahamyan said.

Abrahamyan also noted that winter tourism infrastructures should be further developed across the country.

Gayane Gaboyan