Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Russian Ambassador Oleg Ozerov after a drone was found on the country’s territory on July 13, which Moldovan authorities believe may be of Russian origin.

The development was reported by ProTV.

This is not the first time Ozerov has been summoned over incidents involving unmanned aerial vehicles.

In early June, the Russian ambassador was called to the Foreign Ministry after an unidentified drone crashed in neighboring Romania. At the time, Ozerov said his contacts with the Moldovan authorities had been limited to summonses to the ministry.

Meanwhile, TASS recalled that Ozerov had previously accused the Moldovan authorities of blaming Russia for every incident while following instructions from the European Union leadership, without presenting any evidence.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to change what he described as his aggressive approach to peace in the Middle East.

According to the Lebanese Presidency, Aoun made the remarks during a meeting with delegations from The Elders, the University of Balamand, and Sigrid Kaag, the former UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

“The Israeli prime minister must realize that war will not bring security. Lasting stability can only be achieved through negotiations and the understanding that continuing the war will lead only to more killings, destruction and displacement,” Aoun said.

He added that it was impossible to pursue an aggressive approach while speaking of peace and security.

“Historical experience around the world clearly demonstrates that wars and the use of force do not lead to peace and stability, nor do they eliminate non-state armed groups. Therefore, Israel must change its approach if it genuinely seeks peace and security for its people and stability for the region,” he said.

Aoun expressed hope that the next round of bilateral talks with Israel, scheduled for July 14 in Rome, would produce tangible and practical results, paving the way for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory and the deployment of the Lebanese army in those areas.

The president said the Lebanese Armed Forces continue to carry out their duties throughout the country despite the difficult economic conditions faced by their personnel, stressing that the military requires continued support and the necessary equipment.

On June 26, Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement in Washington following five rounds of consultations held under U.S. auspices.

Under the agreement, the Lebanese Armed Forces are to gradually restore effective sovereign control over the entire territory of the country.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced what he described as a full maritime blockade on Iran, saying the Strait of Hormuz will remain open to all shipping except vessels linked to Iran.

Trump made the announcement in a post on the Truth Social platform, saying U.S. military operations had enabled oil supplies to continue at “unprecedented levels.”

He thanked U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Adm. Brad Cooper, and U.S. service members.

“The Strait of Hormuz is open to all ships except those connected to Iran. We will enforce a full blockade, but it will apply only to vessels bound for or departing from Iranian ports, as well as ships carrying Iranian cargo,” Trump wrote.

Trump also said that, following talks with the leaders of Gulf countries, he had abandoned his earlier proposal for a 20% compensation fee to the United States, replacing it with trade and investment agreements.

According to Trump, Gulf states are planning to make “massive investments” in the U.S. economy, leading to the construction of new factories, manufacturing facilities and equipment, as well as the creation of millions of high-paying jobs.

In the post, Trump also reiterated that Iran would never obtain a nuclear weapon, claiming that “Iran’s days of killing hundreds of thousands of people, including 52,000 protesters, are over.”

A Turkish court hearing the case related to the Sumud humanitarian flotilla has issued an interim ruling seeking an international arrest notice for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu through an Interpol Red Notice.

Halk TV reported the decision.

According to the report, an Istanbul criminal court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and the other defendants on charges including crimes against humanity, genocide, unlawful deprivation of liberty, ill-treatment, intentional bodily harm, robbery and seizure of a vehicle.

The report said the court had previously opened criminal proceedings against Netanyahu and 34 senior Israeli officials based on an indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, which seeks life imprisonment for the defendants.

In November 2025, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israel’s leadership on charges including genocide, the mass bombardment of the Gaza Strip and obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The Sumud flotilla is an international civilian humanitarian initiative bringing together activists, doctors and volunteers from dozens of countries. According to the organisers, its missions aim to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip by sea and draw international attention to the situation in the enclave and Israel’s naval blockade.

Israeli authorities have repeatedly said they will not allow the blockade to be breached and have intercepted flotilla vessels, directing them to Israeli ports. Activists on board were detained and later deported.

In May 2026, a flotilla comprising 54 vessels and 426 participants from 39 countries was intercepted by the Israeli military.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has sent a congratulatory message to French President Emmanuel Macron on the occasion of France’s National Day.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the message reads:

“Dear Mr. President, Dear Emmanuel,

I warmly congratulate you and extend my best wishes to you and the friendly people of France on the occasion of the National Day of the French Republic.

July 14 holds special significance not only for France, but also for all peoples who share the values of liberty, equality and fraternity. It is an opportunity to celebrate France’s rich political and intellectual heritage, whose founding principles have become among the cornerstones of the modern democratic world.

I am pleased to note that it is precisely on the basis of these shared values that relations between Armenia and France have reached an unprecedented level in recent years, acquiring a new quality and strategic dimension.

Today, the strategic partnership between Armenia and France continues to develop steadily across all key areas – from political dialogue and defence to the economy, investment, infrastructure, energy, education, science, culture and decentralized cooperation. At the same time, our cooperation is successfully expanding into such promising fields as innovation, artificial intelligence, biodiversity conservation and the climate agenda. I am confident that the consistent implementation of the ambitious agenda we have jointly shaped will elevate our partnership to an even higher level, for the benefit of our two friendly peoples.

Armenia highly values France’s key role and continued support in deepening our country’s partnership with the European Union, expanding the Armenia – European Union cooperation agenda, as well as advancing democratic reforms and institutional development.

I would also like to reiterate how highly we appreciate France’s support – and your personal support – for Armenia’s sovereignty, resilience and democratic development. I attach particular importance to your personal leadership and commitment in this regard.

Once again congratulating you and the friendly people of France on the occasion of the National Day, I wish you peace, prosperity and continued success, and I wish Armenia and France further achievements and continued strengthening of our strategic partnership for the benefit of our two peoples.

Please accept, Mr. President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

The 23rd Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival officially opened on July 13 at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex with the premiere of Tamara Stepanyan’s Armenian-French co-production Arto’s Country.

Ahead of the screening, Stepanyan said presenting the film in her homeland and opening Golden Apricot held special meaning for her.

“Opening the Locarno Film Festival is one thing, but opening Golden Apricot in my beloved homeland is something entirely different. This film is a love letter to my homeland, our cinema, our wounds and our lost lands. I tried to turn that love letter into a film,” she said.

Over the years, Golden Apricot has become one of the region’s leading film festivals, bringing together internationally acclaimed filmmakers and award-winning films from major festivals, including Cannes, Berlin and Locarno, while playing an important role in the development of Armenian cinema and film culture.

Festival Director and Artistic Director Karen Avetisyan noted that Golden Apricot is now among the 50 film festivals recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF).

“This is the result of decades of work, particularly in recent years, aimed at strengthening the festival’s position in the region. In a difficult and dramatic region, we have sought to create a cultural value that is recognized internationally,” he said.

According to Avetisyan, this year’s festival is hosting around 200 international guests, including Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paweł Pawlikowski, cinematographers Bruno Delbonnel and Mahmoud Kalari, as well as internationally renowned trumpeter and composer Ibrahim Maalouf, who will also perform a concert in Yerevan.

The festival’s programme also includes educational initiatives, industry events organized in cooperation with the Cannes Film Festival, exhibitions and a series of events marking the 100th anniversary of the Armenian silent film Namus.

Yerevan Deputy Mayor Levon Hovhannisyan noted that the municipality has been the festival’s principal sponsor for the past five years and described Golden Apricot as one of Yerevan’s key cultural hallmarks.

Festival founder and President Harutyun Khachatryan recalled that Golden Apricot was established in 2003 together with his teacher Mikael Stamboltsyan and film critic Susanna Harutyunyan, emphasizing that Armenian cinema needed such a platform.

During the opening ceremony, Khachatryan presented the festival’s Master Award to acclaimed Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner, President of this year’s International Jury, in recognition of her contribution to world cinema.

Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Parajanov’s Thaler Award to renowned French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel for his outstanding contribution to world cinema.

The musical segment of the ceremony featured Ibrahim Maalouf, who performed a special improvisation dedicated to the centenary of Namus.

Running from July 12 to 19, this year’s Golden Apricot will screen 90 films from 40 countries at the Cinema House, Moscow Cinema and Nairi Cinema in Yerevan.

The festival will also host internationally acclaimed film figures, including Oscar-winning producer Sev Ohanian, French-Armenian actor and theatre director Simon Abkarian, Oscar-winning Polish filmmaker Paweł Pawlikowski, and others, who will share their experience with audiences and film professionals.

Acclaimed French-Armenian actor, playwright and director Simon Abkarian is among the honorary guests of the 23rd Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival, whose opening ceremony he attended on July 13.

Abkarian, whose career in theatre and cinema spans nearly half a century, will present De Gaulle: Tilting Iron to festival audiences on July 16. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

Directed by Antonin Baudry, the historical biographical drama stars Abkarian as General Charles de Gaulle.

The film recounts the events of June 1940, when, amid France’s capitulation, the then little-known general left for London to launch the Free France movement and lead resistance to the Nazi occupation.

Speaking to reporters, Abkarian said history and time would ultimately show how necessary a film about Charles de Gaulle was for France. Filmmakers, he noted, do not necessarily ask whether a film is needed; they make films about subjects they consider important.

“De Gaulle is a film about freedom, pride, struggle, humanity, heroism and love for one’s homeland,” the actor said.

Abkarian acknowledged that it was difficult to explain in just a few sentences how he came to fully understand de Gaulle and embody him on screen. He said the general’s struggle resonated deeply with him.

“He was fighting for his country, and unfortunately, we Armenians know very well what that means. My Armenian identity lies at the heart of who I am as an actor and of my profession. I also know Lebanese and French culture and the diaspora very well,” he said, adding that all these experiences inform his performances.

“Charles de Gaulle was a man who refused to accept defeat and restored his country’s honor. He saved not only France, but also France’s honor,” Abkarian stressed.

Commenting on Golden Apricot, the actor emphasized the importance of holding such film festivals in Armenia and expressed hope that the festival would continue to grow and develop.

“We have many stories to tell. Both Armenia and the diaspora are rich in stories, and we must claim our place in cinema not only through films about the Armenian Genocide, but also by telling stories about who we are and what makes us distinctive. Others should understand that we are a people rich in history, struggle, literature, art and technology,” Abkarian said.

Simon Abkarian began his artistic career in the early 1980s in the United States before continuing his work at Ariane Mnouchkine’s legendary Théâtre du Soleil in France.

Since the 1990s, he has also built a successful career in film and television in both France and the United States. He has worked with directors including Cédric Klapisch, Atom Egoyan, Robert Guédiguian, Sally Potter and Fatih Akin.

Among the prominent Armenian figures he has portrayed are painter Arshile Gorky and resistance fighter Missak Manouchian.

Abkarian has received some of French theatre’s highest honors, including the Molière Award for Best Actor in 2001. In 2020, he received Molière awards for his work as a director and Francophone playwright.

Armenian Ambassador to Albania Tigran Mkrtchyan (resident in Athens) met with Klodiana Spahiu, Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Albania.

According to the Armenian Embassy, the sides discussed prospects for expanding Armenia-Albania interparliamentary cooperation.

Ambassador Mkrtchyan briefed Spahiu on the results of Armenia’s parliamentary elections and proposed strengthening ties between the two countries’ legislatures through reciprocal visits and exchanges of experience, including in the fields of European integration and legislative reforms.

The ambassador also referred to the dynamic development of Armenia-European Union relations, the visa liberalization process, and Armenia’s efforts to diversify its economic ties.

At Spahiu’s request, Mkrtchyan also presented the current state of the normalization processes with Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

Spahiu welcomed the initiative to strengthen interparliamentary contacts and expressed Albania’s readiness to share its experience gained during EU accession negotiations with Armenia.

The two sides also underscored the importance of cooperation in multilateral formats and discussed opportunities to promote tourism and further develop the existing direct air connection.

High temperatures will persist across Armenia on July 15-16 due to the inflow of tropical warm air masses, Gagik Surenyan, Deputy Director of the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center, said in a video posted on Facebook.

According to Surenyan, tropical warm air has entered Armenia from the south and southeast, originating in Iraq and Iran.

“As a result, very high temperatures are forecast across the country today and tomorrow. In the Ararat Valley, Yerevan, and the valley areas of Syunik Province, daytime temperatures are expected to reach 37-38°C between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., while in some low-lying basins temperatures may climb to 39°C,” he said.

Surenyan also noted that from July 16, air currents will shift to northeasterly and northwesterly, resulting in a gradual decline in temperatures across the country.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Abisoghomonyan met with UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo on the sidelines of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Abisoghomonyan presented Armenia’s efforts aimed at further consolidating peace in the South Caucasus. The two sides underscored the importance of implementing projects to develop transport infrastructure and enhance regional connectivity as a means of unlocking the region’s full potential.

The interlocutors also discussed the UN80 reform process. In this context, the Armenian deputy foreign minister emphasized the importance of ensuring the continued effective functioning of UN bodies in the areas of development cooperation, human rights protection and prevention.

According to the ministry, the two sides also discussed preparations for the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), which Armenia will host in October.

The interlocutors also exchanged views on issues related to international security.