Iran’s crude oil output is expected to remain steady at around 3.5 million barrels per day (bpd) in February, its OPEC governor said on Thursday, February 23, showing no sign of a slowdown despite the West’s sanctions against its oil exports, according to Reuters.

“The production for this month will be the same as the previous, around 3.5 (million bpd),” Mohammad Ali Khatibi said. “There will be no change, things are going as normal here.”

Ahead of a European Union embargo, effective July 1, European buyers have been cutting back on supplies from Iran and some of its biggest customers in Asia have also reduced purchases.

Iran would lower its oil exports if it sees the demand for its crude dropping, Iran’s deputy oil minister said on Wednesday. But Khatibi said there was no need so far to reduce Iran’s output.

“We still have customers, everything is normal,” added Khatibi, Iran’s representative on the board of governors of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

China, India and Japan, the top three buyers of Iranian oil, together buy about 45 percent of Iran’s crude exports.

While India has said it will not implement the sanctions, it, along with China and Japan are planning cuts of at least 10 percent in Iranian crude imports as U.S. measures make it difficult for the top Asian buyers to keep doing business with the OPEC producer.

Turkey, which buys nearly 40 percent of its crude oil from Iran, has so far been a loyal customer and is likely to stick with Iranian oil.

Citing industry estimates, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said that up to 1 million bpd of Iran’s 2.6 million bpd of exports could be replaced by alternative supplies once EU sanctions begin.

The Islamic Republic’s oil output has fallen over the last two years by more than 250,000 bpd, or 6.6 percent, and could lose more than 300,000 bpd this year and a further 200,000 bpd in 2013, Vienna-based consultants JBC Energy estimate.

The French Senate adopted bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial after long debates on Monday.

President of France will ratify the law in 15 days after receiving the finally adopted law from the government. He can ask the parliament to review the full law or certain articles. The review cannot be rejected.

Last December the French Parliament adopted the bill penalizing denial of genocides, including the Armenian Genocide. The law introduced by MP Valerie Boyer, in case of violation, intends one year of imprisonment and a fine amounting to €45,000.

The bill will be submitted for French Senate’s confirmation.

Demonstrators in Tehran stormed the building of the British Embassy.

Iranian police initially did not try to interfere with the thugs, and then blocked access to the Embassy. Those who still managed to reach the territory of the British mission will be detained, reports AFP.

Reuters reports that the protesters got inside the building and threw the Embassy documents out of the windows. There are several dozen people inside the building.

Iranian television reported that during the anti-British demonstrations, protesters pelted the embassy with stones and Molotov cocktails, smashing several windows.

The demonstrators tore and burned the British flag, replacing it with Iranian.

Protests in Iran have been caused by the introduction of the UK for new sanctions against Tehran.

STEPANAKERT. – The adversary violated the ceasefire more than 260 times, in the past week, at the line of contact between Karabakh-Azerbaijani opposing forces.

Vanguard subdivisions of the Azerbaijani army fired, through different weaponry, around 1,300 shots in the direction of Armenian positions.

Despite such activeness by the Azerbaijani side, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Defense Army forces refrained from taking corresponding actions and responded to adversary’s aggressive tactics in case of extreme necessity, NKR Defense Army Media and Propaganda Department informed.

YEREVAN. – Press secretary of Armenian Minister of Defense David Karapetyan commented on information published in the media that Armenia purchased nonfunctional weaponry from Moldova.

“Purchase of weaponry and military equipment for Armenian army is carried out under relevant norms and regulations of Armenian Constitution and International law. For national security reasons information on quantity and variety of armament as well as details about the seller are not subject for publication,’’ said Karapetyan. ‘‘I can only assure you that ever since its independence Armenia did not purchase nonfunctional weaponry.”

Colonel Stepan Karakhanyan, Ohanyan’s close friend, was arrested the other day as well. Karakhanyan appropriated petrol intended for work of police in Armenia’s regions.

Earlier, colonel’s arrest provoked rumors about future arrest of Margar Ohanyan.

Georgian parliament on Tuesday session amended Civil Code. It partially eliminated the legal status, which has been previously granted to some religious communities including Armenian Apostolic Church.

According to new amendments, religious communities have right to register as religious organizations, but the rest of the licenses were cancelled, founder of Armenian Assembly of Tbilisi Arnold Stepanyan . Stepanyan told that this consensus lessened inner political tension between Georgian authorities and Georgian Orthodox Church to the detriment of Armenian Apostolic Church. Previously it inspired hopes to claim for taking back Armenian churches. However, new law buried all hopes.

According to Armenian-Georgian representative, increase of anti-Armenian disposition coincided with visits of Armenian Catholicos and Armenian FM. However, it is strange that only Armenians faced such complaint, as amendments in the law referred also to Catholic, Baptist churches and Jewish, Muslim communities.

Earlier Armenian News-NEWS.am informed that Georgian parliament made amendments in Civil Code on July 5 and granted legal status to Armenian Apostolic and other churches. Georgian Patriarch Ilya II was against the decision.

Joint communiqué between Georgian and Armenian churches was not signed during the visit of Catholicos of All Armenians to Georgia. Working process and comparison of positions still continue, reported Metropolitan Gerasim, the head of foreign affairs department of Georgian Patriarchate.

He dismissed the reports saying it was the Armenian side which allegedly refused to sign the communiqué and marked that both sides should determine their positions, reports Georgia online.

Earlier, a number of Georgian media outlets reported that the communiqué was signed, which allegedly stated that the parties are entering a new phase, implying a determination of the legal status of the Armenian church in Georgia and Georgian Church in Armenia.

The visit of the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II to Georgia lasted from June 10 to 15.

Several dozens of opposition supporters, friends and relatives of the prominent oppositionist welcomed Pashinyan outside the Artik penitentiary, chanting: “Nikol, Nikol.”

Pashinyan was among several prominent opposition figures who went into hiding in March 2008 following a government crackdown on supporters of former president Levon ter-Petrosyan demanding a re-run of a disputed presidential election.

He surrendered to the authorities in July 2009 and was subsequently sentenced to seven years in prison for organization of mass riots that left 200 people injured and 10 killed in downtown Yerevan.

Former member of the Armenian parliament Sasun Mikaelyan, who was convicted in the March 1, 2008 case, was released earlier today.