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Armenia, Azerbaijan Exchange Accusations Over Ceasefire Violations

Armenian soldiers stand in a trench at their position near Nagorno-Karabakh's town of Martuni, April 8, 2016. REUTERS/Staff
Armenian soldiers stand in a trench at their position near Nagorno-Karabakh's town of Martuni, April 8, 2016. REUTERS/Staff
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Armenia, Azerbaijan Exchange Accusations Over Ceasefire Violations

Armenian soldiers stand in a trench at their position near Nagorno-Karabakh's town of Martuni, April 8, 2016. REUTERS/Staff
Armenian soldiers stand in a trench at their position near Nagorno-Karabakh's town of Martuni, April 8, 2016. REUTERS/Staff

Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other on Sunday of violating a new humanitarian ceasefire in fighting over the mountain enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, hours after it was agreed.

The truce agreed on Saturday came into force at midnight after a week-old Russian-brokered ceasefire failed to halt the worst fighting in the South Caucasus since the 1990s.

The Armenian defense ministry said the Azeri army had fired twice during the night and used artillery.

Also, the Azeri defense ministry said: "The enemy fired at the vicinity of the Jabrail city, as well as the villages of this region ... using mortars and artillery".

It added that the Azeri army "took adequate retaliatory measures".

Officials in Nagorno-Karabakh said Azeri forces had launched an attack on the enclave's military positions and there were casualties and wounded on both sides, Reuters reported.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a mountain territory that is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but populated and governed by ethnic Armenians.

The ceasefire earlier this month was aimed at letting the sides swap detainees and bodies of those killed in the clashes, but it had little impact on the fighting around the enclave.

The new truce was announced on Saturday after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov talked to his Armenian and Azeri counterparts by phone and called on sides to observe the truce that he mediated a week ago.

Russia, France and the US belong to the Minsk Group, which has attempted to help resolve the conflict under the umbrella of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

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Araghchi in China to Discuss Nuclear Program, Sanctions and Regional Challenges

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi
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Araghchi in China to Discuss Nuclear Program, Sanctions and Regional Challenges

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that the issue of Iran's nuclear program and efforts to lift Western sanctions will witness a new dynamic in the new year, noting that more consultations with China are needed in this regard.
Araghchi traveled to China on Friday at the invitation of his counterpart, Wang Yi.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Beijing, the FM said, “For years, we have consistently maintained close consultations with China on all regional and international matters,” according to Iran’s news agency, IRNA.
“Iran and China have maintained close communication on regional and global issues over the years. The current situation is highly sensitive, with escalating tensions in the region and numerous international challenges,” he said.
Araghchi highlighted the need for increased consultations with China regarding Iran’s nuclear program and efforts to lift sanctions.
He noted that 2024 would mark a new phase pertaining to these issues, requiring close dialogue with China.
The Iranian FM reiterated that the timing of this visit was ideal, as it aligns with the beginning of the new year, a period when both countries will prepare to face upcoming challenges, particularly in regional affairs, international relations, and Security Council matters.
Shortly before his visit to China, Araghchi said in an article published in the People’s Daily, that the trip marks the beginning of a new chapter in the strategic partnership between both countries.
“My trip to meet old friends in China follows successful meetings of Iranian and Chinese leaders on the margins of the BRICS Summit held in Kazan,” he said.
Separately, IRNA reported on Friday that a full-scale radiological emergency response exercise was conducted at the Bushehr nuclear plant with the aim of improving the preparedness of rescue teams and training villagers near the power plant when facing radiation and nuclear incidents.
The maneuver included a hypothetical accident at the Bushehr nuclear power plant. The governorate was alerted and initial clarifications were offered to the concerned institutions.
The pollution rate increased, triggering an evacuation order during which residents were evacuated by sea.
Arsalan Zare, governor of Bushehr province and chairman of the Crisis Management Committee, said on Thursday, “Safety training drills are usually conducted at the site of the nuclear power plant and its surroundings to prepare for real emergencies.”