The opposition factions of the National Assembly of Armenia, namely the “Armenia” and “With Honor” factions, left the special session of the Standing Committee on Defense and Security of the National Assembly.

The Committee was only going to discuss one issue, that is, the election of the vice-chairman.

Thus, the opposition “Armenia” faction, based on the formula of D’Hondt method, has been nominating Artur Ghazinyan for vice-chairman for the sixth time already.

Once again, the members of the ruling party and opposition factions criticized each other and made allegations, and the opposition MPs left the sessions hall for the fourth time as a sign of protest.

As a result, Ghazinyan wasn’t elected again. “Armenia” faction needs to nominate another candidate.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has threatened Iran and advised not to “pry” its “nose” into Azerbaijan’s affairs.

“We [i.e., Azerbaijan] are showing good will. However, this does not mean that we will accept baseless accusations against us. I say this here on the banks of the Araks River, I tell the Azerbaijanis and the whole world that the baseless accusations against us will not go unanswered. We deny these allegations and demand submitting evidence,” he said.

“Recently, one of the provincial mullahs in Iran accused Azerbaijan. I was informed about that, and I said that we should not pay attention. Who is he? Just don’t pay attention to his words But then, unfortunately, the officials made baseless accusations against us. Allegedly, Azerbaijan brought Israel to those territories. We will not allow baseless accusations to be made against us.

Azerbaijan is a country that pursues an independent policy; everyone knows about that. We build relations with our neighbors and other countries on the basis of independent policy. Let no one interfere in our internal affairs. At what level we build relations with the country is our internal affair. We do not make demands against countries that have friendly relations with Armenia. Look how many supporters Armenia has; the Karabakh war is the proof of that. What? Should we be enemies with those countries? We respect the sovereign rights of each country, and demand that they respect our rights and do not interfere in our internal affairs. Such attempts will be in vain. I declare once again that the accusations made against us must have evidence. Let them come, see if there are any foreign citizens in the given region.

We have cleared the 130-kilometer-long Azerbaijani-Iranian border from the occupiers. It is necessary to investigate the processes that took place there. Or they say that Azerbaijan is not strengthening the Azerbaijani state there, but some foreign forces. This is an insult against us. We will never accept that. And everyone should know about that. From now on, Azerbaijan will plan its own foreign relations and internal affairs as it sees fit. Let no one pry their nose into our affairs,” Aliyev added.

The Iranian government has sent a notification through the official military channels to the leadership of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

According to the report, Iran has closed its airspace for the air force of Azerbaijan, which carries out military supplies to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, haqqin.az reports.

Baku regarded this decision of official Tehran as another betrayal against Azerbaijan, taken at the instigation of the Armenian government.

According to the report, Iran is actively using the territory of Azerbaijan as a transit for the implementation of the main transportation. First of all, we are talking about the North-South transport corridor.

The betrayal of Iran will not cause tangible harm to Azerbaijan, since the military department of Azerbaijan in the matter of supplying military units located in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, gave prerogative to other routes. However, this political decision of Tehran is pushing Baku to unambiguous conclusions about the foreign policy guidelines of the Iranian government, the report says, the source cites.

The National Security Service (NSS) has made another high-profile arrest in an ongoing criminal investigation into supplies of allegedly faulty ammunition to Armenia’s armed forces.

Lieutenant-General Stepan Galstian, a deputy chief of the Armenian army’s General Staff, was charged with fraud and abuse of power and remanded in pre-trial custody on Saturday two days after being summoned to the NSS for questioning.

Galstian denies the accusations. His lawyer told News.am that he will appeal against a district court’s decision to allow investigators to hold the general in pre-trial detention.

The NSS arrested former Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan and an arms dealer reputedly close to him on Wednesday part of the same criminal case. It charged them with fraud and embezzlement that cost the state almost 2.3 billion drams ($4.7 million).

Both men deny the charges. Tonoyan’s lawyer said on Friday that he will petition the Court of Appeals to release his client from custody pending investigation.

Another Armenian general was arrested earlier in September. The NSS claimed that the general abused his powers to arrange for personal gain a $4.7 million contract for the supply of outdated rockets to the armed forces.

According to the security service, the Defense Ministry had refused to buy those rockets from a private intermediary in 2011.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) organized its Fall 2021 Advocacy Week in a virtual manner during the week of September 27, 2021 in remembrance of the first anniversary of the 44-day war on Artsakh. Panel discussions by specialists addressed such topics as the “One Year After the War in Artsakh: Atrocities,” “Cultural Desecration and Christians in Peril,” “Working to Make Artsakh Safe and Green,” “Fuel Advocacy,” and “Media Matters.”

“Their Goal is to Erase the Armenian Identity”

The inaugural panel, moderated by David L. Phillips, focused on the adversity that the people of Artsakh are currently facing, including “security and human welfare challenges.” Phillips, Director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights, who established the Artsakh Atrocities project, noted that the armed drones and jihadist mercenaries provided by Turkey “shaped the battlefield” and “changed the outcome of the war.”

Arman Tatoyan, the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia, discussed the implementation of the November 9 ceasefire statement, the ongoing problems of the Armenian prisoners of war unjustly held hostage by the Aliyev regime, the roots of the conflict, and Azerbaijan’s incursions into Armenia’s borders in Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces. 

“This cruel war by Azerbaijani military forces is the result of years of state-supported hatred towards Armenians in Artsakh and Armenia,” said Tatoyan, who studied over 300 videos of beheadings, killings, and mutilations of soldiers and civilians by Azerbaijani forces. 

Tatoyan also touched upon the “illegal and artificial” proceedings in Azerbaijan of Armenian POWs who remain in captivity, despite the clear terms of the November 9 ceasefire statement and its provisions that all POWs must be released and repatriated. 

“Armenians returned [Azerbaijani] POWs but Azerbaijan has politicized the whole process and is using the existing POWs for bargaining purposes and to acquire control over the territories,” said Tatoyan. “Their goal is to erase the Armenian ethnicity.”

Dr. Michael Rubin, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, who is an analyst of developments in Iran and the South Caucasus region and a critic of Turkey’s genocidal policies, elaborated that the war on Artsakh was a “test case” and has larger implications for the region. 

Dr. Rubin explained that there have been a number of attacks across the Armenian border, and that Aliyev is putting his “rhetoric into the realm of reality” by testing the Armenian border. He reminded the audience that the November 9 ceasefire statement was “not a peace agreement,” and that the U.S. has been “absent, ineffective, and relatively passive by treating the two sides with moral and policy equivalence.” 

Rubin pointed out that although President Biden and his Administration “rightly acknowledged the Armenian Genocide,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, only two days later, “illegally by the letter and spirit of law” waived Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.”

“We’re giving countries like Azerbaijan a free pass, which doesn’t end well for stability in the South Caucasus, and it’s time for the U.S. to wake up,” Dr. Rubin concluded. 

Awareness, Assistance and Advocacy

“Cultural Desecration and Christians in Peril” was moderated by Reverend Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace, and featured Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Ecumenical Director and Diocesan Legate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) and Board Member of Churches for Middle East Peace, and Andrew Crane, Advocacy Associate at International Christian Concern (ICC). 

Crane spoke about the ICC’s focus on the three A’s: awareness, assistance and advocacy, which are all used to “respond to these problems in Artsakh.”

“To increase awareness, ICC went to work covering the war itself to highlight the broader narratives, including the erasing of Christianity and war crimes perpetrated by Azerbaijan and Turkey,” said Crane. 

Following the war, ICC released three reports and hired two staff members to work full-time on the ground in Artsakh to assess humanitarian needs. The ICC has also joined the Armenian community’s advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. 

“ICC will continue to work with the Armenian Assembly of America to push back Azerbaijan and Turkey’s erasure of Artsakh’s rich culture and its destruction of churches,” he said. 

Crane focused on the importance of education, studying the history, and staying up to date on the news because “Turkey and Azerbaijan are putting forth a perpetual narrative that this is a territorial dispute, but this falls into a pattern of Turkish and Azerbaijani actions against the Armenian people to erase the Christian identity of Artsakh and Armenia.”

During his remarks, Archbishop Aykazian stressed the importance of being “aggressive in advocacy,” and highlighted Azerbaijan and Turkey’s purpose to “erase everything that is Christian in that part of the world. By destroying the church, they destroy the spirit of every Christian in the world.”

Revitalizing Communities Through Greenery

Jeanmarie Papelian, Executive Director of Armenia Tree Project (ATP), and Amasia Zargarian, Deputy Head of Government Affairs of The HALO Trust USA, were featured in the “Working to Make Artsakh Safe and Green” panel, moderated by the Assembly’s Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan.

Founded by Carolyn Mugar in 1994, ATP has planted almost 7 million trees and has greened over 1,300 communities in Armenia and Artsakh while employing thousands of people to date, including local villagers who are often seasonal workers. 

ATP is “revitalizing and engaging communities” as a result of its work, despite the fact that it lost 14 Community Tree Planting sites in Artsakh during last year’s war. Papelian noted, however, that they have new plans for the future thanks to ATP donors, who are “improving the environment and the economy of Armenia when they support ATP.”

Looking ahead, ATP’s goal is “ensuring that the next generation of children in Armenia and Artsakh be better stewards of the environment.” As a means to achieve that, ATP is establishing a nursery in Stepanakert, which will be located on the grounds of the Stepanakert Botanical Gardens, and where locals will be employed to run the nursery. 

The HALO Trust USA’s Amasia Zargarian estimated it will take another four years to clear most of the unexploded ordnances remaining in Artsakh, though “a good number of cluster munitions have already been cleared around the towns of Martuni, Martakert, and Askeran.”

“It is important to point out how different the cleanup challenge is now, after the 44-day war, versus the cleanup after the first Artsakh war in the early 1990s,” said Zargarian. “So much of the explosive threat this time is inside civilian-populated centers in Artsakh, and not just in the outskirts of towns and villages, as was the case in the immediate aftermath of the first war.”

Zargarian reported that the clearing of cluster munitions and unexploded ordnances in Stepanakert, which has been a priority for The HALO Trust, will be completed in October 2021. He emphasized that 99% of The HALO Trust’s staff on the ground in Artsakh are locals and 150 are employed full time, while more than 20% of the current staff are displaced Armenians. Zargarian added that The HALO Trust “is proud to employ them.”

“We rely on organizations like the Armenian Assembly of America to advocate for Congressional support, in order for HALO to get the job done,” he concluded.

Fueling Advocacy Positively Impacts Legislation

The “Fuel Advocacy” panel, featuring New England Patriots Director of Football/Head Coach Administration, Berj Najarian, Assembly’s Western Region Director Mihran Toumajan, Director of Congressional Relations Mariam Khaloyan and Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, highlighted the importance of grassroots as well as targeted advocacy to achieve results that benefit the Armenian people. 

Najarian said it is a “great honor and duty” to use his platform in an effective manner. His activism increased in 2015 when he became an advocate for U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide during the centennial commemoration. He noted that within the Patriots organization, there are “players, coaches, and owners who use their voice” to create change. 

“I’m going to continue stepping up and doing it in a respectful but firm way,” said Najarian. “There has been receptiveness, not only in the organization, but different organizations and people outside of it, so we’re going to keep going.” 

Najarian commented on the importance of inclusivity in advocacy efforts and to approach causes “thoughtfully, strategically, and creatively.” He said that he informs non-Armenians about Armenia and Artsakh, and that the large Armenian flag in his office that greets Patriots players every day “has become a conversation sparker.” 

Toumajan remarked on the Assembly’s activities on the West Coast, where he has been engaged with California state officials and testified before a State Senate Committee earlier this year regarding local agencies divesting from Turkey and Turkish government-controlled bonds, under State Senator Anthony J. Portantino’s leadership.

Ardouny expressed the Assembly’s appreciation to its network of State Chairs and activists across the country and highlighted the importance of the successful passage of five decisive amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act in late September 2021. Ardouny also talked about the importance of affirmation of the Armenian Genocide and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s (SFRC) confirmation hearing of U.S. Ambassador to Turkey nominee and former U.S. Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ). 

Highlights from an exclusive interview with Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) were also shared. Rep. Pallone noted that through the work of the Congressional Armenian Caucus and with the support of the Armenian Assembly and other organizations, $50 million in humanitarian and economic development assistance was secured for Armenia, and $2 million for demining in Artsakh during the current Congressional session. 

“I would continue to encourage Assembly members to reach out and make sure your members join the Caucus,” said Rep. Pallone. 

Finally, Rep. Frank Pallone commented on the importance of advocacy and reflected on the overwhelming passage of the Armenian Genocide resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

“There were many times when I didn’t think we would ever get Armenian Genocide recognition, but it happened, not just by a miracle, but because of all of the hard work,” said Rep. Pallone. “I want to use that as an example to tell everyone in the Armenian diaspora that you can never give up and to stay active.” Echoing Rep. Pallone’s sentiments, Ardouny concurred that “we never gave up and we never gave in,” and again expressed appreciation for activists like Berj Najarian for helping make a difference. 

The final panel discussion, “Media Matters,” evaluated the mainstream media’s coverage of the 44-day war on Artsakh. Featured panelists included Peter Mirijanian, founder of Peter Mirijanian Public Affairs, Arda Haratunian, a strategic communications advisor, and Lilit Markosian, a journalist based in Yerevan and New York City. Assembly Communications Director Taleen Babayan served as the moderator. 

One challenge in terms of coverage has been the decline of foreign news bureaus and correspondents, according to Haratunian, which can contribute to the lack of timely and accurate reporting. “Fewer foreign correspondents are covering more countries, conflicts and stories and, in some cases, with less regional or historical expertise,” said Haratunian. “Armenians are fighting a media war largely punching at ghosts, with fewer people paying attention to it.” 

It’s also incumbent upon the Armenian American community to provide proper context to journalists and publications to “move the ball forward here in the U.S.,” said Mirijanian, who noted the need to create opportunities to speak with editors and reporters about Armenia and Artsakh year-round, and not just during a time of conflict. 

Haratunian said it’s important for Armenians to “maintain the staying power” after a crisis, and to focus on more universal stories that humanize the Armenian people and their plight. 

“We have the truth on our side,” said Haratunian. “And that truth has to be shared patiently and methodically.”

Regarding the coverage of independent journalists who reported from Artsakh during the war, Markosian stated that such individuals “put themselves at great personal risk to capture and produce stories,” but ultimately did not have the same platforms to widely air their reports, as opposed to the mainstream media. Social media also served as a resource during the war, although the conversations were not enough to fill the gaps of coverage. 

All three panelists honed in on the importance of framing a clear narrative moving forward. 

“Sometimes we, as a community, take for granted the role that Armenians have played in this country [the U.S.], and also the context of the Armenian Genocide, and do not properly present our narrative to the mainstream media,” said Mirijanian, who emphasized the importance and effectiveness of grassroots advocacy in the diaspora through organizations like the Armenian Assembly of America. 

While the Armenian Genocide was heavily covered by The New York Times, an early whistleblower at the time, there was a disparity in coverage during the 2020 war on Artsakh. 

“The players involved and their values made the difference during the previous century when the Armenian Genocide was covered by The New York Times,” said Haratunian. 

In closing, Mirijanian stated that educating journalists and the media by deploying a common narrative should be an ongoing responsibility for Armenians in the homeland and across the diaspora.

Captions:

Photo 1: (l-r) Columbia University’s David L. Phillips, American Enterprise Institute’s Dr. Michael Rubin, Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan, Churches for Middle East Peace’s Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Diocesan Legate Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, and International Christian Concern’s Andrew Crane

Photo 2: (l-r) Armenia Tree Project’s Jeanmarie Papelian, The HALO Trust USA’s Amasia Zargarian, and the Assembly’s Mariam Khaloyan

Photo 3: (l-r) The Assembly’s Mihran Toumajan and Mariam Khaloyan, the New England Patriots’ Berj Najarian, and the Assembly’s Bryan Ardouny

Photo 4: (l-r) Assembly Communications Director Taleen Babayan, journalist Lilit Markosian, strategic communications advisor Arda Haratunian, andpublic relations commentator Peter Mirijanian

A top Iranian government official is in Armenia to declare Iran’s support for a key transit road project. 

An Iranian deputy transportation minister has travelled to Armenia to declare Iran’s financial and technical support for a transit road project that will allow cargoes from Iran and other countries to bypass Azerbaijan on their way to Russia and Europe.

Kheirollah Khademi, who serves as CEO of Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company, arrived in Yerevan on Monday while heading a senior Iranian government and business delegation.

The delegation will visit construction sites for the Tatev project, a 400-kilometer transit road which links Iranian border crossing of Nordooz to the Armenian capital Yerevan.

Reports say only 15 kilometers of the road remains to be completed. The road will replace a current transit road between Iran and Russia through Armenia that extends for some 20 kilometers into the Azerbaijani territory.

Iran has been irritated by Azerbaijan’s recent decision to charge Iranian drivers some $130 for passing through the small section of the transit road. Azerbaijan authorities have also arrested two Iranian lorry drivers on alleged charges of illegal entry into the Azerbaijani territory.

A report by the official IRNA news agency said that Iran had declared its readiness to contribute to the Tatev project to help finish the road as soon as possible.

“Soon the remaining part of the Tatev road located in the Armenian territory will be completed through Iran’s contribution,” said the report, adding that the transit road will enable cargoes to travel safely and easily between China and Europe through Iran, Armenia and Russia.

The report said that the revived transit road will also facilitate Iran’s supply of fuel and crude products to Armenia.

By Harut Sassounian,

This sensational report was exposed by the international news media on Oct. 3, 2021. While this is not the first time it has been revealed that the family of Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has purchased hundreds of millions of dollars of properties in foreign countries through offshore companies, it is the latest and most detailed such scandalous news.

The report about Aliyev’s 11-year-old son Heydar Aliyev was exposed by the Pandora Papers — the largest collection of leaks of concealed financial documents. These secret files were organized by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) with the participation of over 650 reporters worldwide. The records contain “nearly 12 million documents and files from 14 financial service companies in several countries, the British Virgin Islands, Panama, Belize, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Switzerland,” according to the BBC.

While many of “the revealed transactions involve no legal wrongdoing,” there are serious “concerns that some property buyers could be hiding money-laundering activities,” the BBC stated. “Offshore companies can offer to help people hide dodgy cash or avoid tax. They are using those offshore accounts, those offshore trusts, to buy hundreds of millions of dollars of property in other countries, and to enrich their own families, at the expense of their citizens,” added Fergus Shiel from ICIJ.

The BBC went on to report that “The Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his family, who have been accused of looting their own country, are one example. The investigation found the Aliyevs and their close associates have secretly been involved in property deals in the UK worth more than £400 million [$540 million]. Azerbaijan’s ruling Aliyev family, long accused of corruption, have built a vast offshore network to hide their money.” Pres. Aliyev’s annual salary is $228,000.

BBC also revealed that the Aliyevs bought 17 buildings in the UK, including an entire block of office buildings in the posh Mayfair area of London for $45 million in 2009 for the president’s 11-year-old son, Heydar Aliyev, who was then in grade school.

The Aliyevs bought another building in London for $47 million in 2008 and sold it in 2018 for $89 million, making a profit of $42 million. The Aliyevs sold that property “to the Crown Estate — the Queen’s property empire that is managed by The [UK] Treasury and raises cash for the nation.” BBC reported that “The Crown Estate said it carried out the checks required in law at the time of purchase but is now looking into the matter.”

A separate article on the ICIJ website, under the title of “The Power Players,” highlighted the incredible wealth of Azerbaijan President’s three children: Arzu Aliyeva, Heydar Aliyev, and Leyla Aliyeva.

The ICIJ article explained that “Ilham Aliyev became president of Azerbaijan in a 2003 election widely regarded as manipulated…. He has de facto control over the state oil fund, which generates annual revenue of $9 billion. His presidency has been marked by brutal political crackdowns and human rights violations, including the imprisonment and torture of journalists and dissidents. Despite accusations of running a kleptocracy, Aliyev maintains close relationships with European leaders through what has come to be known as ‘caviar diplomacy.’ The 2017 Azerbaijani Laundromat investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project revealed how almost $3 billion linked to Aliyev was laundered through shell companies, with much of the proceeds spent on gifts for European politicians. Other media investigations, including ICIJ’s Offshore Leaks and Panama Papers, have shown that the Aliyev family controls significant wealth in Azerbaijan and that the president’s three children also own properties in the U.K. and Dubai.”

ICIJ further revealed that “The Pandora Papers provide a view of the startling scale of the Aliyev children’s luxury property investments. They were shareholders of 44 companies registered in the British Virgin Islands between 2006 and 2018. The records show the children owned five companies used to buy more than $120 million worth of high-end London properties between 2006 and 2009, many of which were later sold for vast profits.”

Besides the $45 million London office building owned by then 11-year-old Heydar Aliyev, his sister Arzu purchased anther office building one block away through an offshore company for $47 million. “In 2009, a company owned by the eldest child, Leyla Aliyeva, bought a $13.5 million corner building behind London’s Oxford Circus, which has housed a string of businesses run by Aliyev family friends,” according to ICIJ.

In an effort to obscure the ownership of these properties, “starting in 2013, the children transferred shares in their offshore companies to their maternal grandfather, Arif Pashayev. The holdings were later transferred to a series of trusts based in the Isle of Man, a British dependency and secrecy haven. Pashayev and two close associates bought further properties in and around London worth more than $500 million between 2006 and 2017,” ICIJ revealed. Not surprisingly, none of the Aliyev family members responded to ICIJ’s repeated requests for comment.

While it is disgraceful that funds belonging to the citizens of Azerbaijan were misused, the good news for Armenians is that Azerbaijan did not use these large sums to purchase more arms, to inflict further damage on the people of Armenia and Artsakh!

Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel is planning to pay a farewell trip to Turkey in the coming days to hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Daily Sabah newspaper reported on Sunday.

Merkel last visited Turkey in January 2020, just prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. She and Erdoğan have held several video conference calls since and have met at global political summits.

Germany has established closer relations with Turkey during Merkel’s tenure, which began in 2005. Last year, Merkel led opposition to a French-led plan to impose tough sanctions on the country in a dispute with EU member Greece over territorial waters in the eastern Mediterranean. She has also led efforts in Europe to increase financing for Turkey’s hosting of Syrian refugees. 

Annual trade volume between Turkey and Germany reached $38 billion at the beginning of the year, according to Turkish officials. Germany is home to the Europe’s highest population of ethnic Turks.

Merkel’s frequent courting of Erdoğan has prompted criticism among his opponents in Turkey and Europe that she is helping to facilitate democratic backsliding and rising human rights abuses in the country. Merkel is due to step down as chancellor when a coalition government is formed following German elections late last month.

In August, Merkel proposed to her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to enhance cooperation with Turkey to stem an anticipated flow of refugees from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover, Turkish media reported.

An oil spill in Southern California closed beaches and led authorities to cancel the last day of the Pacific Air Show. At least 126,000 gallons (98,420 liters) of oil spilled off the coast of Orange County.

An oil spill polluted waters of the Pacific Ocean south of Los Angeles, California Sunday after what was believed to be an oil rig pipeline breach.

Authorities closed beaches from Huntington Beach to Santa Ana as crews worked to contain the environmental damage.

California State Senator Dave Min said Sunday efforts to contain the spill came too late. 

“Unfortunately, the oil spill has reached our wetlands in Huntington Beach, home of many endangered species. This is clearly an environmental catastrophe.” 

What is known about the impact?

Kim Carr, the mayor of Huntington Beach, told reporters Sunday that an oil slick has spread covering 13 square miles of the Pacific Ocean since it was first reported on Saturday morning.

The oil trashed popular beaches and destroyed wildlife, such as birds and fish. The US Coast Guard surveilled the damage by air and worked with local and state officials to contain the damage.

Approximately four miles (6.4 kilometers) of coastline remained closed. The final day of the Pacific Air Show, which normally draws thousands to Huntington Beach, was also called off as crews worked to assess and contain the damage.

In a statement, the city of Huntington Beach said at least 126,000 gallons (98,420 liters) of oil contaminated the waters off the coast of Orange County.

“The spill has significantly affected Huntington Beach, with substantial ecological impacts occurring at the beach and at the Huntington Beach Wetlands,” the statement read.

The Coast Guard said it has deployed skimmers and floating barriers known as booms to prevent further encroachment into the wetlands and the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Company says leak stopped

Amplify Energy, the owner of the pipeline believed to be the source of the spill, said Sunday afternoon that the line had been shut off, and the remaining oil sucked out. 

Divers are working to determine exactly where and how the leak happened, according to CEO Martyn Willsher. The CEO added that the amount of oil spilled will not exceed 126,000 gallons. 

The pipeline runs from an offshore oil platform to the coast.

Huntington Beach is a city of almost 200,000 residents approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of downtown Los Angeles.

“The overt and covert presence of the Zionist regime’s proxies and the possibility of a significant number of Daesh terrorists in regional countries add to the importance of this exercise,” General Haydari said.

Daesh militants were brought into the region at the height of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, he said.

TEHRAN – In less than 48 hours troops and equipment were transferred to the drill field in northwest Iran, the commander of the Army’s northwestern regional base has said, IRNA reported on Friday.

The Army started a drill, codenamed Fatehan Kheybar, in northwestern Iran on Friday.

“According to the orders we receive from the command hierarchy, we will conduct exercises in different places, and for the Fatehan Kheybar exercise, equipment and forces were transferred to the area in less than 48 hours,” Commander Ali Hajiloo explained.

“The drill was carried out using part of the power of the major units in the northwest of the country,” he added. 

Brigadier-General Hajiloo said units based in the provinces of Qazvin, Markazi and Tehran as well as Ground Force UAV unit and Army Aviation Force were deployed in the maneuver area. 

Hajiloo added since exercises are a complementary stage for training and the Army is updating its structure, equipment and knowledge, it is “necessary to practice these trainings in the field.”

On the sidelines of a military drill in northwest Iran on Friday morning, commander of the Army Ground Force Kioumars Heydari said that Iran will test four new weapons in the drill.

There was no word how long the drill will last.

Heydari also said that Iran will not tolerate presence of foreigners in the northwest region of the country. 

“The overt and covert presence of the Zionist regime’s proxies and the possibility of a significant number of Daesh terrorists in regional countries add to the importance of this exercise,” General Haydari said.

Daesh militants were brought into the region at the height of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, he said.

“Since we are not sure whether they have departed the area, the drill will convey a message to them. They and the Zionists must know they have no place in the region, and that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are fairly sensitive to them and will deal with them wherever they see them,” the senior commander stressed, according to Press TV.

He went on to say that various types of home-grown military equipment manufactured by the Islamic Republic of Iran Army and its Ground Forces will be used during the exercise.