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CONCERNS IN ARMENIA'S NEIGHBORHOOD: PROSPECT OF IRAN WAR AGAIN LOOMS LARGE AS TEL AVIV AND TEHRAN EXCHANGE THREATS
By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow
04.11.11 | 15:32
Map by Laura Canali /temi.repubblica.it
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to pay a visit to
Armenia by year's end according to media reports, quoting official
sources in Tehran. The news comes against the backdrop of what seems
to be a "preparatory information campaign" revealing Israel's intention
to launch a strike against Iran.
Various publications have reported that the Armenian side holds
that the serious crisis in Israeli-Turkish relations has created
preconditions for reviving ties between Yerevan and Tel Aviv.
Enlarge Photo Artyusha Shahbazyan
If Israel attempts to develop closer relations with Armenia, it may be
due to Israel's relationship with Turkey. This opinion was expressed
by secretary of the parliamentary faction of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) Artyusha Shahbazyan. "It isn't a secret to
anyone that the relations between Israel and Azerbaijan are getting
worse. Even more things are known about the level of relations [of
Israel] with Turkey. This is what conditions the statement of the
Knesset chairman concerning efforts toward recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. In general, I see nothing wrong with the current situation
becoming a stimulus for the development of relations between Israel
and Armenia," said the Armenian lawmaker.
Still, more active relations between Armenia and Israel may also
be conditioned by Yerevan's ties with Iran, and most importantly,
Armenia's possible position in the event of military operations
launched against Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran has stated its readiness for war with Israel through
its Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi. "Israel threatens Iran all the
time, this is nothing new," said the Islamic Republic's top diplomat,
stressing that Iran will fiercely retaliate any aggression.
NATO does not intend to intervene in the situation with Iran, said
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Thursday. According
to Rasmussen, NATO supports the efforts of the international community
in finding solutions to the Iranian nuclear problem through political
and diplomatic means. "I urge the Iranian government to implement
the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and to stop its uranium
enrichment program," Rasmussen said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday
approved new, tougher sanctions against Iran. It is expected that
punitive measures will be applied to the central bank of the Islamic
Republic as a response of the U.S. administration to the plot to
assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington, DC.
International media have quoted U.S. President Barack Obama as saying
that he had discussed his concerns about Iran and its nuclear program
with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and that both had agreed that
"international pressure must be maintained on Iran."
"The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) is scheduled to release
a report on Iran's nuclear program next week and President Sarkozy
and I agree on the need to maintain the unprecedented pressure on
Iran to meet its obligations," Obama told reporters on Thursday after
negotiations with his French counterpart ahead of the G20 summit in
Cannes, France.
By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow
04.11.11 | 15:32
Map by Laura Canali /temi.repubblica.it
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to pay a visit to
Armenia by year's end according to media reports, quoting official
sources in Tehran. The news comes against the backdrop of what seems
to be a "preparatory information campaign" revealing Israel's intention
to launch a strike against Iran.
Various publications have reported that the Armenian side holds
that the serious crisis in Israeli-Turkish relations has created
preconditions for reviving ties between Yerevan and Tel Aviv.
Enlarge Photo Artyusha Shahbazyan
If Israel attempts to develop closer relations with Armenia, it may be
due to Israel's relationship with Turkey. This opinion was expressed
by secretary of the parliamentary faction of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) Artyusha Shahbazyan. "It isn't a secret to
anyone that the relations between Israel and Azerbaijan are getting
worse. Even more things are known about the level of relations [of
Israel] with Turkey. This is what conditions the statement of the
Knesset chairman concerning efforts toward recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. In general, I see nothing wrong with the current situation
becoming a stimulus for the development of relations between Israel
and Armenia," said the Armenian lawmaker.
Still, more active relations between Armenia and Israel may also
be conditioned by Yerevan's ties with Iran, and most importantly,
Armenia's possible position in the event of military operations
launched against Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran has stated its readiness for war with Israel through
its Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi. "Israel threatens Iran all the
time, this is nothing new," said the Islamic Republic's top diplomat,
stressing that Iran will fiercely retaliate any aggression.
NATO does not intend to intervene in the situation with Iran, said
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Thursday. According
to Rasmussen, NATO supports the efforts of the international community
in finding solutions to the Iranian nuclear problem through political
and diplomatic means. "I urge the Iranian government to implement
the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and to stop its uranium
enrichment program," Rasmussen said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday
approved new, tougher sanctions against Iran. It is expected that
punitive measures will be applied to the central bank of the Islamic
Republic as a response of the U.S. administration to the plot to
assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington, DC.
International media have quoted U.S. President Barack Obama as saying
that he had discussed his concerns about Iran and its nuclear program
with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and that both had agreed that
"international pressure must be maintained on Iran."
"The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) is scheduled to release
a report on Iran's nuclear program next week and President Sarkozy
and I agree on the need to maintain the unprecedented pressure on
Iran to meet its obligations," Obama told reporters on Thursday after
negotiations with his French counterpart ahead of the G20 summit in
Cannes, France.