<p><span style="font-size: 16pt;" lang="EN-CA">Iran</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;" lang="EN-CA"> Invades Azerbaijan</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-CA">22 March 2014 APP</span></p>
<p><b><span lang="EN-CA">[Tens
of thousands of Iranian troops pour into southern Azerbaijan
in what Tehran
calls a 'police action.']</span></b></p>
<p><span lang="EN-CA">In a move that has absolutely stunned
political and military analysts around the world, the Islamic Republic of Iran
has launched a massive invasion of neighboring Azerbaijan. Reports are very
sketchy but the basic understanding of the situation is that earlier this
morning Iranian airborne troops were dropped just north of the city of<span> </span>Xankandi while larger armored formations
advanced across the border form Iran. Local media has reported heavy air strike
against local military bases. </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-CA">Giving a very brief statement a few hours
after the invasion began, the Iranain government characterized the invasion as
a 'police action' and claimed that Kurdish rebels responsible for a major
terrorist attack that severely damaged the Iranian oil industry several months
ago had been sheltered by Azerbaijan and operated training camps in the
southern part of the country. The Iranian statement went on to say that the
government in Baku
had oppressed the religiously devout and 'protecting the freedom of Muslims to
practice their religion without fear of secularist Western puppets' was another
cause for their invasion. </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-CA">Never a strong military power, Azerbaijan
stands little chance against the powerful Iranian military. Senior military
analysts working for APP have surmised that what little strength the
Azerbaijani military possessed has already been quashed by vastly superior Iranian
air power and troop numbers. As more Iranian troops enter the country and
entrench themselves in the south around Xankandi, the future for Azerbaijan
seems bleak.</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-CA">Analysts strongly agree that the 'real'
motivation for Iran's
invasion is to capture the Khojavend oil field discovered by a joint
American-Azerbaijani expedition five years ago. Having been completed just two
months ago, the Khojavend field is estimated to be fifty billion barrels in
size and represents the largest find in the south Caucasus.
Access to such a large supply would elevate the Iranian energy shortage and act
as a huge source of income, should Iran be able to find buyers. </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-CA">As of now international reaction is unknown
due to the sheer shock and surprise the Iranians have elicited. The Azerbajani
government, still in the capital of Baku
which as of yet has not been attacked by the Iranians, has pleaded for the
world to send troops to help 'liberate' the country. Russia
has officially condemned Iran,
severed all diplomatic relations and ceased arms shipments. However with so
much of their military either occupied in Chechnya
and Georgia or stationed in
the Far East with tensions rising in East Asia,
it is unknown when or if the Russians might respond with force. </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-CA">European markets became very unstable as
word of the invasion broke. The London Stock exchange has fluctuated and world
oil prices have increased to almost $75 USD a barrel, prices not seen since the
end of the Iraq War in 2010. </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-CA">For the moment all of Eurasia stands on a knife
edge as Iran marches into Azerbaijan
unopposed. </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></p>