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Akbar Novruz

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Spanish MP Jon Iñárritu has once again emerged as an ardent propagandist for Armenia, this time advocating for the EU to support Yerevan’s bid for membership and falsely portraying Azerbaijan as an aggressor.

I am saying 'again' because he made statements on February 26—ironically, the anniversary of the Khojaly genocide— that served as yet another example of his deep-seated bias and deliberate misinformation.

This time, in his interview with Armenpress, Iñárritu defended the extension of the EU Monitoring Mission in Armenia (EUMA), claiming that its presence is essential to preventing "Azerbaijan’s renewed aggression." He further alleged that parts of Armenia remain under "Azeri occupation" and accused Baku of violating international law. These remarks are not only factually incorrect but also serve Armenia’s ongoing campaign to distort the realities of the South Caucasus conflict.

First, there is no "Azeri occupation" of Armenian land. What Iñárritu fails to mention is that Azerbaijan’s army is positioned along its internationally recognized borders, with ongoing delimitation efforts complicated by Armenia’s persistent refusal to engage constructively. Second, his framing of EUMA as a peacekeeping force is misleading; it has no enforcement mandate and has instead emboldened Yerevan by giving it a false sense of security against fulfilling its regional obligations.

Meanwhile, on March 4, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense reported that Armenian armed forces opened fire on Azerbaijani positions in the Gorus region. As Iñárritu speaks of "Azerbaijani aggression," he conveniently ignores Armenia’s continued provocations that actively undermine regional stability.

On February 26, instead of acknowledging the anniversary of the Khojaly genocide—one of the darkest chapters of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict—he chose to call on Brussels to back Armenia’s EU accession bid. In his statement, he claimed that Armenia has always "belonged in Europe, both culturally and historically," despite overwhelming economic, political, and military ties linking Yerevan to Russia.

Spanish MP's unwavering support for Armenia is neither new nor coincidental. When we did a little research, we discovered that back in December 2022, he was awarded the “Mkhitar Gosh” medal by the now-disbanded Garabagh separatist regime. He proudly accepted this honor from Arayik Harutyunyan, the so-called "president" of the separatists, who is now facing trial in Baku. At the time, Iñárritu vowed to defend the so-called "right of Armenians to live in Artsakh" and even pushed for international recognition of the separatist entity. Today, with Azerbaijan’s full sovereignty restored over its territories, his past statements seem not only absurd but also reflective of his personal investment in the Armenian cause.

His latest statements reinforce his loyalty to Armenian interests. On February 26, while the world remembered the Khojaly massacre—where Armenian forces brutally slaughtered Azerbaijani civilians—Iñárritu instead chose to advocate for Armenia’s EU accession. His comments about Armenia's "historical belonging" to Europe are another baseless assertion, ignoring the country’s deep economic and military ties with Russia.

Iñárritu’s alignment with Armenian separatism is unsurprising given his own political background. As a representative of the Basque pro-independence party Bildu, he is part of Spain’s separatist movement, which has long sought greater autonomy—and even independence—from Madrid. His party has consistently pushed for sovereignty, mirroring Armenia’s own irredentist ambitions in the South Caucasus.

His selective activism is also revealing. While he champions Armenia’s sovereignty, he simultaneously supports separatist movements in Spain, showing a clear double standard. His deep ties with Armenian lobbying groups, especially within the Basque Country and Catalonia—both home to influential Armenian diasporas—further explain his motivations.

False champion of democracy and European values

One of the absurd things that the Spanish MP also claims is that Armenia is a beacon of democracy, European values and its integration has fallen apart under scrutiny. We are talking about a country that currently either incapable or doesn’t want to free itself from political and economic dependence on Russia. Besides, it shouldn’t be forgotten that, Armenian statehood was built on ultranationalism, idea of ‘Miatsum’ and war crimes. Former president Robert Kocharyan’s infamous remarks about the "genetic incompatibility" of Azerbaijanis and Armenians, as well as Serszh Sargsyan’s chilling justification of the Khojaly genocide, should raise alarm bells for any true advocate of human rights. Yet, he conveniently ignores these realities while pretending to be a champion of European values.

Jon Iñárritu is not a neutral observer of South Caucasus affairs—he is a deeply compromised politician serving Armenian interests. His history of receiving honors from Garabagh separatists, his vocal support for Armenia’s EU accession despite clear contradictions, and his own ties to separatist movements in Spain all disqualify him from being taken seriously on regional matters.

Best of luck trying to manipulate European policy in favor of Yerevan while demonizing Azerbaijan. Fortunately, the facts speak for themselves, and no amount of pro-Armenian rhetoric can alter the geopolitical realities of the South Caucasus.