TEHRAN, Jan. 28 (MNA) – United States President Donald Trump has announced he would sign an executive order calling for the construction of an “Iron Dome” missile defense program.

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Georgia-China relations and Trump According to Nodar Kharshiladze, founder of the Georgian Centre for Strategic Analysis (GSAC), strategic cooperation with China and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s visit to Iran (for the funeral of the former president) will have a severely negative impact on Trump’s policy toward Georgia. The expert described this as a red line, beyond which sanctions could begin. EU suspends visa-free travel for Georgian diplomatic passport holders The visa-free regime remains in place for Georgian citizens with ordinary passports. Nodar Kharshiladze: “The policies pursued by Bidzina Ivanishvili and his party [‘Georgian Dream’] directly contradict the priorities of the Trump administration. This approach, centred on closer ties with the People’s Republic of China and Iran— including strategic bilateral cooperation with China and Irakli Kobakhidze’s visit to Iran—will have a severely negative impact on Trump’s policy toward Georgia. This is a red line. We should brace ourselves for new sanctions…” “Legislation must not undermine assembly freedom” – European Commissioner evaluates his visit to Georgia O’Flaherty commends the resilience of Georgian civil society and urges measures to address serious human rights violations

Azerbaijan-Russia tensions Tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan are escalating. Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Azerbaijani ambassador to express dissatisfaction over a Baku TV report accusing the “Russian House” cultural centre in Baku of espionage activities. Meanwhile, a trial has begun involving an Azerbaijani citizen of Russian ethnicity accused of treason. According to some reports, the individual may have connections to the “Russian House.” EU suspends visa-free travel for Georgian diplomatic passport holders ‘Armenia faces choice: lead or follow others’ – IT specialist ‘Ter-Petrosyan, Kocharyan, and Sargsyan must also face justice’: View from Baku Azerbaijani ambassador summoned to Russian Foreign Ministry On January 27, Azerbaijani Ambassador Rahman Mustafayev was summoned to Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The Russian side emphasized the unconditional importance of building relations between Russia and Azerbaijan in the spirit of strategic partnership and alliance, based on the Declaration signed at the highest level on February 22, 2022, in the national interests of both states. In this regard, concern was expressed over a series of recent anti-Russian publications in Azerbaijani media, as well as the disinformation campaign against the ‘Russian House’ in Baku. The baseless nature of these accusations was underscored,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated. ‘Azerbaijani plane downed by Russian air defense system’: First semi-official version from Baku According to political analyst Farhad Mammadov, the fact that preliminary information has been made public suggests that Baku expects official recognition from Russian authorities of the incident, followed by steps such as an apology and compensation. The Russian Foreign Ministry also commented on the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25, 2024. It emphasized the need to complete the official investigation and publicly release the findings to clarify all circumstances surrounding the tragedy. Rossotrudnichestvo Chief responds to Baku TV report Yevgeny Primakov, head of Rossotrudnichestvo, also reacted to the Baku TV report. “We are preparing a lawsuit to protect our business reputation. I would like to hear irrefutable evidence of this slander and lies from this government-funded Azerbaijani media outlet. Otherwise, we expect a retraction and an apology,” he stated. Primakov also noted that Rossotrudnichestvo had previously won similar cases in Germany regarding accusations against the Russian House in Berlin. “German media outlets had to issue retractions. We have experience with this,” he added. What was in Baku TV report? The private Azerbaijani television channel Baku TV aired a report last Friday accusing the Russian House in Baku of engaging in anti-Azerbaijani espionage activities under the guise of cultural and humanitarian work. Citing “trusted sources” without providing specifics, the report alleged that the Russian cultural center was promoting interethnic discord and acting as an intelligence hub. In the broadcast, the anchor stated, “Unfortunately, this is no longer the ‘Russian House’ but a house of Russian espionage.” While the report gained significant domestic attention, there have been no official comments on the matter. The Russian House, managed by Rossotrudnichestvo, officially operates as a cultural and humanitarian institution. Its headquarters in Azerbaijan is located on Uzeyir Hajibeyov Street in Baku, with additional centers in Khachmaz and Ganja. Baku TV is part of the pro-government Global Media Group (GMG), a media conglomerate that includes television channels, news agencies, and publications in Azerbaijan and abroad. Does Svetlichny have ties to the “Russian House”? A preliminary hearing was recently held at the Baku Court on Grave Crimes regarding the criminal case against Ivan Svetlichny, who is accused of treason. According to Report, the investigation into the case was conducted by Azerbaijan’s State Security Service. “The defendant, Ivan Nikolayevich Svetlichny, an Azerbaijani citizen, is suspected of deliberate treason in the form of espionage, undermining national security, sovereignty, and defense capabilities, as well as carrying out assignments for foreign intelligence services. The specific criminal acts he is accused of will be detailed during the next court hearing when the indictment is read. The hearing is scheduled for February 3,” the Report statement said. Ilham Aliyev: ‘Russia clearly seeks to bury the issue’ After Ilham Aliyev accused Russia of trying to cover up the downing of the passenger plane in an interview, Vladimir Putin called his Azerbaijani counterpart again. The pro-government Telegram channel Maiden Tower commented on a possible “hint” about Svetlichny’s case in the Baku TV report: “They say Baku TV is hinting at the case of Ivan Nikolayevich Svetlichny, who has been charged with treason and whose trial will be heard at the Baku Court on Grave Crimes on February 3. Whether Svetlichny is connected to the ‘Russian House’ in Baku or not, we’ll find out very soon.” Political analyst jailed for 13 years for espionage in favour of Russia Nazakat Mammadova In November last year, Nazakat Mammadova, who frequently appeared as a political commentator on various TV channels and websites, was sentenced to 13 years in prison on charges of treason. The 46-year-old was accused of collaborating with Russian intelligence services. Court materials alleged that she regularly traveled to Moscow, held secret meetings, and received payments in exchange for her work. The charges also included an attempt by Mammadova to recruit others into Russian intelligence services. Mammadova was arrested by Azerbaijan’s State Security Service (SSS) in October 2023. Notably, she had previously worked for the SSS herself. Mammadova denied all charges up until her sentencing. Expert opinion On “Russian House” Azerbaijani political analyst Farhad Mammadov believes that the Baku TV report served as a message to Russia about the potential consequences for the “Russian House” in Baku if, following the release of the initial report on the AZAL plane crash, Russia once again “betrays its commitments.” Фархад Мамедов “In Moscow, there is evident concern over recent reports in Azerbaijan’s private media about the activities of the Russian House in Baku—enough to summon Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the Russian Foreign Ministry. I see this report as a signal to Russia, demonstrating what might happen to the ‘Russian House’ in Baku if, after the release of the preliminary crash report on our plane, the Russian side once again ‘opts for betrayal.’ Baku is hedging its bets because Russia has left no alternative. The fact that data from the black boxes ended up in the hands of both Moscow and Baku was followed by the release of material ‘resembling the truth,’ which contained sacrilegious manipulation suggesting pilot error. Baku is not receiving any clear signals about Russia’s intentions following the publication of the report. This uncertainty leads to demonstrations of potential consequences for steps that fall outside the bounds of alliance. So, Mr. Galuzin [Russian Deputy Foreign Minister] might do well to focus more on Russia’s response to the crash report than on summoning Ambassador Mustafayev, who is hardly impressed by the so-called Russian school of diplomacy,” Mammadov remarked. On Primakov’s reaction Commenting on the statements made by Yevgeny Primakov, head of Rossotrudnichestvo, Azerbaijani political analyst Farhad Mammadov noted that instead of “hysterical rhetoric,” Primakov should explain what the “Russian House” in Baku did during the mourning period for the victims of the AZAL plane shot down by Russian air defenses. “Rossotrudnichestvo’s head, Primakov, threatens to sue a private Azerbaijani TV channel over a report about the ‘Russian House’ in Baku. He cites Germany as an example, claiming they won a similar case there. But Azerbaijan is not Germany. Instead of hysterical rhetoric, Primakov should have explained what the ‘Russian House’ in Baku did during the mourning period for the victims of the AZAL plane shot down by Russian air defenses, where Azerbaijani citizens perished. And the answer is—nothing! Rather than making baseless statements, it would be better to focus on addressing which Russian agency takes responsibility for deploying air defenses against a civilian aircraft and ‘blinding’ its control system. And which agency will pay compensation for the plane, the deceased, and the injured, including Russian citizens,” concluded the analyst.

Armenian, UAE officials discuss South Caucasus, Middle East  Armenpress

The opposition TV company Mtavari has reported that the channel has been turned off for all viewers based in Georgia’s regions and those watching abroad via satellite, adding that from February, most cable TV providers will stop broadcasting the channel.Mtavari claimed the reason for the crisis was due to Director Gogi Kurdadze’s refusal to transfer money to the service providers, and that bills have been accumulating in the sales accounts for months.‘[Kurdadze] does not allow these funds to be used for the benefit of the channel at all, and sends letters containing unfounded accusations and threats to our partner companies’, Mtavari’s statement read.The statement also highlighted that Kurdadze had been appointed by Mtavari’s co-founder Zaza Okuashvili, who they claim has been ‘systematically following the path characteristic of the Russian regime and gradually closing the channel, which for five years firmly maintained the status of the country’s most influential critical media outlet’.According to Mtavari, there has been no advertising on the channel for a month, and they lost all of their sponsors due to the expiration of the contract with the ‘sales house’. Their statement also claimed that Kurdadze, allegedly on the instructions of Okuashvili, has not been allowing for the renewal of contracts. Finally, they noted that the channel has stopped providing ratings indicators, and journalists, in most cases, are no longer able to conduct live broadcasts.‘The actions of Zaza Okuashvili and the director managed by him, Gogi Kurdadze, represent an attempt to intentionally damage the company and shut down critical media outlets, which serves the goals of the [ruling] Georgian Dream and clearly contain signs of a criminal offense’, the statement read.Okuashvili has not commented on the recent accusations.The local Media Advocacy Coalition expressed concern over Mtavari’s statement, saying they see the ongoing developments around the channel as ‘a serious threat to the functioning of free media’.‘Restricting the functioning of critical media poses a threat not only to the functioning of specific media outlets, but also directly harms the coverage of ongoing processes in the country and the public’s right to be informed about important events’, the coalition’s statement read.They called on Okuashvili and Kurdadze to stop taking steps that are aimed at restricting and ultimately terminating the television network’s activities, instead of working to strengthen the company.‘It is especially important that the rights of the media are protected during this critical period, including those of your television employees, who have repeatedly become objects of violence and attacks, and that the quality of public awareness and coverage are not reduced or coverage is limited’.Rumours about the channel’s financial difficulties and its possible closure have been circulating for several months.On 11 December 2024, Mtavari’s General Director Giorgi Gabunia announced that the station was facing closure, accusing Okuashvili of sabotaging the channel.Georgian pro-opposition TV channel ‘faces closure’ amid internal conflictLive on air, Mtavari’s director accused a major shareholder of sabotage, claiming that he was colluding with Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili.OC MediaShota KinchaAt an emergency briefing organised by Gabunia that month, he accused Okuashvili of deciding to ‘shut down’ the channel, a plan being executed, according to Gabunia, through the director, Kurdadze.Gabunia stated that this was ‘exactly what Bidzina Ivanishvili needs today’, seemingly alluding to the antagonism of the Georgian billionaire and Georgian Dream founder, who has been widely described as the country’s informal ruler, towards independent media critical of the government.In response to Gabunia’s allegations, Okuashvili accused Gabunia of having his own ties to Ivanishvili. He dismissed claims of his own collusion with the billionaire as ‘comical’, pointing out that he was engaged in ‘several international legal battles’ against him.Okuashvili has been embroiled in several conflicts with Georgian Dream since 2018, most notably the Omega Tapes scandal.The purported secret recordings, which were leaked publicly, allegedly captured conversations with a Georgian Dream official that revealed extortion attempts targeting Okuashvili on behalf of Ivanishvili.Also in 2018, Okuashvili was accused of exploiting a group of Georgian journalists during a financial dispute with the government.Secret audio recordings suggest racket in Georgian GovernmentA secret audio recording released on Friday suggests that former Georgian sports minister Levan Kipiani attempted to extort expensive cars for other ministers from Omega Group, a business group that owns local TV channel Iberia TV. The authenticity of the recording has not yet been verified, but…OC MediaOC Media

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, during the meeting with the Armenian community of Zurich on January 24, called for a re-examination of what happened during the Armenian Genocide to understand why it happened, how it was perceived, why the question of the Armenian Genocide was not part of the agenda in 1939, and why it appeared only in 1950. Alpha News spoke with genocide scholar Suren Manukyan on this topic. “Genocide is not a reality or a phenomenon; it is a political crime. And being a political crime, naturally, it receives, has received, and will continue to receive political assessment. This topic will always occupy an active place in politics. In this regard, I believe, when we talk about Genocide, we have a specific approach. Pashinian’s recent remarks in Zurich might not have been so controversial if not for the context, if not for his earlier thoughts and actions. We feel threatened, realizing that a person can make a mistake once, make a wrong statement, but when it is systematic and the same topic is raised regularly and with the same emphasis, we realize that there is a deeper process going on here, about which we do not have an exact idea,” Manukyan said. The genocide scholar emphasized that Pashinyan, in his remarks, tries to place the blame on the victims. “Unfortunately, we often encounter manipulation. In other words, a sentence is voiced that contains, among other things, the truth. On the one hand, it may seem like an innocent explanation for why it happened. But when you compare it to his previous statements, which attempt to place the blame on the victims themselves, you begin to realize what he meant. If you think back to his messages of April 24, 2019-2020, you can see in them a demand for recognition at the highest level. But when you see that in just 4 years the rhetoric has dramatically changed, it is already difficult to accept, since the one who says all this is the same person, and it is this person who decides and implements the foreign policy issues of our country,” Manukyan concluded. The post Pashinyan tries to place blame on victims of Armenian Genocide — Suren Manukyan appeared first on Alphanews.

The absence of Azerbaijan’s delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) winter session has sparked questions about the country’s participation in the European institution. According to sources in Azerbaijan’s parliament, PACE did not send an official invitation to Azerbaijan, as participation requires such an invitation to…

‘Advancing toward modern army’: Armenia celebrates 33 years of armed forces  JAMnews

Michael_Novakhov shared this story . President Donald Trump revealed on his first day that he may be closer to delivering on a campaign promise than skeptics believed. As we show in our new, original economic analysis, Trump has the levers to force Vladimir Putin to end the Russia-Ukraine war promptly if he dispenses with the Biden Administration’s tepid, inconsistent economic pressure.On Trump’s first day in office, he publicly addressed his views on Putin’s invasion of Ukraine for the first time in weeks, during his Oval Office press conference. “I think Zelensky wants a peace deal, but I don’t know Putin wants a deal,” Trump said, “I think Russia is going to be in real trouble….I think Putin’s destroying Russia.”Trump is right. As Russia falters on the battlefield, approaching 700,000 casualties, its reliance upon North Korean troops and Iranian drones, Putin has not advanced his military agenda and Putin’s war-fueled economy has drained the nation’s vitality across sectors. Putin has cut reinvestment in its industrial base and seized control of much private enterprise, cannibalizing its once mighty industrial strength. In short, he’s kept the furnace of Russia’s energy burning by tossing in the living room furniture.Russia is in real trouble as its economy implodes, and Putin is destroying Russia. And even more importantly, the return of Trump could send Russia’s economy off the cliff, and Trump’s return could deal the death blow to the teetering Putin regime. Trump today said his sanctions had cut off Iran’s ability to finance the proxy terrorism of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis which Biden’s muted sanctions enforcement allowed. Similarly, with proper sanction enforcement, the Russian economy will be circling the drain by Easter.Trump Issues a Series of Presidential Actions on Day 10 seconds of 15 secondsVolume 0%That Trump’s return could end Putin’s rule seemed unimaginable weeks ago. Many supporters of Ukraine openly feared that Trump might force a bad peace deal on Ukraine tantamount to surrender, amid Trump’s oft-declared intention to “end” the war by his first day in office. But just as Trump has shown a willingness to evolve on business issues once he learned the facts, it appears Trump has similarly, pivoted his position on Putin once he learned just how weak the Russian economy really is. Simply put, the Russian economy is imploding—with Putin cannibalizing the productive economy to fund his war machine. If Putin loses the spigot of windfall oil revenues which has been propping him up the last three years, then the Putin regime will almost certainly collapse. Putin has already drawn down Russia’s rainy day funds by depleting its once-formidable foreign exchange reserves, and nobody is willing to fund Russian government deficits by buying unwanted Russian bonds. Meanwhile, the Russian Ruble is collapsing as a currency that even China is dumping, the Russian central bank has run out of firepower, and Putin cannot cut spending unless he defunds his own expensive war machine. Russia cannot make up for lost oil exports as it has already lost 90% of its erstwhile natural gas exports, thanks to Europe finally moving away from Russian piped gas reliance. The country brings very little to the global economy other than energy exports.Oil revenues represent a potent choke point over the Russian economy, and Trump has grasped the strength of this leverage in a way the Biden Administration did not. The outlook for Russia’s oil sales is now very different, and Russia’s outright economic collapse appears far more likely now. With Trump’s pledges to bring down oil prices and increase US domestic oil production by 3 million barrels a day, the world will no longer need Russian oil production the same way, and Putin will be feeling the pain because he will be selling at or below breakeven prices.According to Saudi Aramco, the breakeven for drilling Russian oil is a whopping $44 per barrel, the highest of any major oil producer and twice as much as the cost of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, and other major oil producers—thanks in part to the inaccessibility of major Russian oil fields deep in the Arctic.So between his elevated breakeven cost of $44 per barrel to drill oil, and expenses which we estimate to be around $20-$30 per barrel to get that oil to market, Putin will be losing money when the price of oil falls below current levels. Even beyond any pain Putin suffers from the price of oil falling organically; if Trump imposes any additional sanctions and export restrictions on Russian oil companies, as Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent advocated for during his confirmation hearing, then Putin will be all but begging for relief as his economy implodes with export revenues throttled.History reminds us that this playbook of economic pressure on Russia has worked successfully before. Cold War ended largely through the unexpected implosion of Russia’s economy—which many experts did not see coming, but a vulnerability which Ronald Reagan, a leader defined more by intuition than careful analysis of the issues, grasped. Now, Trump has an opportunity to puncture Putin’s propaganda balloon and suffocate Russia’s economy to the point of collapse, if he chooses to do so.