Baku refuses entry to Iran Broadcasting officialDecember 10, 2011 - 14:19 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Republic of Azerbaijan has refused entry to a senior Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) official. Upon arrival at Heydar Aliyev International Airport on Friday, December 9, the director of the IRIB office in the Azeri capital Baku, Ahmad Kazemi, was stopped by customs officials and prevented from entering Azerbaijan. Kazemi was forced to take the return flight to Tehran on the same day. The Azeri officials blatantly violated the agreements reached by Baku and Tehran during a recent trip to Iran by the director of the social-political bureau of Azerbaijan's presidential office, Ali Hasanof. The agreements called for the establishment of a joint media committee to explore ways to expand media relations between Iran and Azerbaijan. According to the accords, Kazemi was to be Iran's representative on the joint media committee. The Azeri government has not provided any explanation about its illegal action so far, Press TV reported. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |