The Region in Brief
Artsakh
The National Assembly of Artsakh issued a joint statement condemning the massacres in Sumgait and calling for justice for displaced Armenians.
The statement recalls that between Feb. 27 and 29, 1988, the city of Sumgait in the Azerbaijan SSR witnessed organized mass killings of Armenian residents. Armenians were subjected to ethnically motivated violence, including killings, assaults, torture and forced displacement.
The crimes were systematic and targeted, marking the beginning of a broader pattern of violence against the Armenian population, which later continued in Kirovabad (1989), Baku (1990), other Armenian-populated areas in Azerbaijan, the Maragha massacre (1992) and ultimately the displacement of Armenians from Azerbaijani territory.
The statement says the lack of accountability for the Sumgait atrocities fostered a dangerous culture of impunity. According to the statement, the pattern resurfaced during repeated military offensives against the Republic of Artsakh, which included war crimes, violence against civilians, widespread blockades and the forced displacement of Artsakh’s Armenian population in 2023.
The Artsakh National Assembly factions:
- Strongly condemn violence carried out on the basis of national identity and what they describe as state-sponsored Armenophobia.
- State that the mass violence committed against Armenians, by its nature and consequences, corresponds to the gravest crimes defined under international law.
- Reaffirm that impunity leads to new crimes and undermines regional security and stability.
- Call on the international community and relevant legal and political institutions to provide an adequate legal and political assessment of the mass crimes committed against the Armenian people and to ensure accountability for their organizers and perpetrators.
The statement concludes that the factions will continue pursuing a consistent political course to protect the rights of the people of Artsakh, ensure their safe and dignified return to their ancestral homes, and uphold the full realization of the right to self-determination.
“The memory of the victims of Sumgait obliges us to pursue justice and prevent the recurrence of such crimes,” the factions emphasized.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan continues to make territorial claims related to what it describes as “Western Azerbaijan,” referring to areas within the internationally recognized territory of Armenia.
Aziz Alakbarli, chairman of the “Community of Western Azerbaijan,” said: “This is the historical right of our compatriots. Today, large-scale construction and restoration work is underway in the liberated territories.”
“Khojaly is being developed. Villages in Karabakh that were destroyed by Armenians are being revived and our displaced persons are returning to their native lands after 30 years of separation. In Western Azerbaijan, our homes and lands remain and refugees will also return to their ancestral territories. We are confident of this,” he concluded.
Iran
The funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been postponed, according to Tasnim News Agency. The ceremony had been scheduled to begin March 4 at 10 p.m. local time and was expected to last three days.
Organizers announced that the funeral will be delayed indefinitely until all necessary facilities and infrastructure are prepared. Khamenei is to be buried in his hometown of Mashhad in northeastern Iran. Tasnim said a new date for the funeral will be announced in the near future.
Khamenei was killed on Feb. 28 during the initial strikes carried out by Israel and the United States.
Russia
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticized the European Union’s decision to deploy a rapid-response team to Armenia to counter hybrid threats, describing the move as “a projection of the Moldovan scenario” onto the country.
According to Zakharova, the deep involvement of European Union experts during a pre-election period, as well as in the context of a possible constitutional referendum, is unlikely to strengthen Armenia’s sovereignty. “Most likely, the opposite will happen,” she said.
She added that if Armenia were to issue a formal request, Russia would be prepared to send similar expert groups with comparable mandates. Zakharova also said that the Commonwealth of Independent States, of which Armenia is a member, holds the necessary competencies related to electoral processes, unlike the European Union.
Georgia
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said, “Maintaining stability in the region remains of paramount importance,” during the 15th session of the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation between Georgia and Armenia.
Kobakhidze said that Tbilisi is encouraged by recent developments in the South Caucasus, describing a potential peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia as highly significant.
“All of this provides an excellent foundation upon which to work still harder for the strengthening and development of our region,” he said.
A final peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, however, has not yet been signed.
Turkey
Turkey’s presidency said a ballistic missile launched from Iran toward Turkish territory was intercepted and destroyed by NATO air defense systems.
According to a statement by the Ministry of National Defense, the missile passed through Iraqi and Syrian airspace before being detected and successfully neutralized by NATO air and missile defense systems deployed in the eastern Mediterranean. Authorities said debris that fell in the Dörtyol district of Hatay province was identified as part of the interceptor missile used to destroy the incoming projectile. No casualties or injuries were reported.
The ministry said Turkey’s determination and capability to safeguard its national security remain at the highest level, adding that all necessary measures will be taken without hesitation to protect the country’s territory and airspace.
Officials also urged all parties to refrain from actions that could escalate tensions in the region and contribute to a broader conflict. The ministry reiterated that Turkey reserves the right to respond to any hostile actions directed against the country.
