The U.S. military said it will begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, after the latest talks held amid the two-week ceasefire failed to reach a deal to end the war with Iran.

“U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 a.m. ET, in accordance with the President’s proclamation. The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports. Additional information will be provided to commercial mariners through a formal notice prior to the start of the blockade. All mariners are advised to monitor Notice to Mariners broadcasts and contact U.S. naval forces on bridge-to-bridge channel 16 when operating in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz approaches,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday U.S. forces would also intercept every vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran.

“No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas,” Trump wrote on social media, adding: “Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!”

He added that the U.S. Navy will begin destroying mines that the Iranians had dropped in the Strait of Hormuz.

After Trump’s initial remarks on Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards warned that military vessels approaching the strait will be considered a ceasefire breach ‌and dealt with ⁠harshly and decisively, Reuters reported.

Reuters reported citing a U.S. official that Iran rejected Washington’s call for an end to all uranium enrichment, the dismantling of all major enrichment facilities and the transfer of highly enriched uranium.

Iran also refused U.S. demands that Iran cease funding for Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, as well as fully open the Strait of Hormuz, the official added.

Iranian media said there was agreement on a number of issues, but the strait and Iran’s nuclear program were the main sticking points during the talks in Islamabad.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran had “encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade” when just inches away from an “Islamabad MoU.”

U.S. President Donald Trump strongly criticized Pope Leo XIV on Sunday evening, denouncing his stance on the Iran war and saying he’s “terrible for foreign policy.”

“We don’t like a pope that’s going to say that it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon. … He’s a man that doesn’t think that we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world,” CNN quoted Trump as saying, adding, “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo.”

Leo, the first American pope, last week condemned Trump’s rhetoric and threats against the people of Iran as “truly unacceptable.” That comment was prompted by Trump’s threat that “a whole civilization will die tonight” in the hours before a two-week ceasefire with Iran was struck.

According to CNN, both Trump and his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, have invoked God in public messaging during the conflict, with Hegseth framing the war effort as divinely supported and even using scriptural justification.

Leo has pushed back against this idea.

“Jesus is the king of peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” he said on Palm Sunday. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war but rejects them.”

The U.S. president’s remarks about the pope on Sunday night came shortly after he posted a similar critique of the pontiff on Truth Social.

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump wrote, going on to say he doesn’t want a pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon or who thinks it’s “terrible that America attacked Venezuela.”

After the US operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January, the pope called for the “will of the Venezuelan people” to be respected and a return to stability in the country.

“I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States,” Trump said.

The president went on to claim Leo “wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”

Pope Leo has previously spoken out against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Pope Leo XIV on Monday responded to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, telling reporters while traveling to Algeria that he has “no fear” of the White House.

“I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the church is here to do,” the pontiff told reporters.

“We are not politicians,” Pope Leo said. “We are not looking to make foreign policy … with the same perspective that he might understand it, but I do believe in the message of the Gospel: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ is the message that the world needs to hear today.”

 ”I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems.”

Trump posted on social media calling the pope “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.”

Amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict in Iran, the pope has been posting on his account on the social platform X about peace, saying in one post on Saturday that “God does not bless any conflict.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has conceded defeat after 16 years in power, with the opposition securing a landslide election win.

BBC reported citing results that Peter Magyar’s Tisza party won by a landslide.

“Prime Minister Viktor Orban just called to congratulate us on our victory,” Magyar posted on social media on Sunday as the results rolled in.

Péter Magyar, a former Orbán ally who became his fiercest critic, swept to victory promising closer ties with the EU.

With more than 98% of the votes counted, Magyar’s party Tisza is set to win a massive majority in parliament, according to the BBC. 

According to Al Jazeera, Magyar’s centre-right party secured 138 seats in the 199-seat parliament on 53.6 percent of the vote, while Orban’s Fidesz took just 55 seats with 37.8 percent in the elections that saw a nearly 80 percent turnout.

Spain’s ambassador to Iran, Antonio Sánchez-Benedito Gaspar, said Monday that the Spanish embassy in Tehran has reopened in a move aimed at supporting regional peace efforts, Xinhua reported.

In a post on the social media platform X, the ambassador said he had returned to the Iranian capital with his team to “join efforts for peace from every possible quarter,” following instructions from Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares.

Armenia is rapidly emerging as a growing hub for medical tourism, with the sector becoming an increasingly important part of the country’s economy. The newly created MEDam platform in Armenia aims to further boost medical tourism by presenting the country’s opportunities in the international market.

Anni Keshishyan, co-founder and CEO of “Bridged Corp” and one of the co-founders of the MEDam platform, noted in an interview with Armenpress that, together with experts closely connected to the tourism and healthcare sectors, they discussed and concluded that Armenia has strong potential to develop medical tourism, as the sector continues to grow globally.

“Healthcare and tourism have not yet been fully integrated on a single platform in any country. This segment is developing, and as Armenians, we understand how important this initiative can be both for the global market and especially for Armenia. The platform is expected to launch by the end of April, and we want to start it in Armenia,” said Anni Keshishyan.

High-quality medical services will be available to tourists in one place. However, what makes the platform different is that it will include a wide range of services and will primarily present not individual doctors, but Armenia itself, highlighting its opportunities in both healthcare and tourism.

“We do not see ourselves as just a platform; we are creating a complete infrastructure, one of the most important components of which is healthcare. In the first phase, we have focused on cosmetology, plastic surgery, and dental services. Later, we will expand the fields to include ophthalmology, orthopedics, and other areas. Our goal is to create global value while also contributing to the country’s development. In the future, we plan to involve all participants in the sector,” noted Anni Keshishyan.

Keshishyan noted that, as a result, it will be possible to find various medical services on the same platform, as well as the best licensed doctors. Through the platform, users will also be able to connect with their chosen doctor, insurer, and tour operators.

The medical tourism platform is closely cooperating with the Tourism Committee.

According to Lusine Gevorgyan, Chairperson of the Tourism Committee of Armenia, a government agency under the Ministry of Economy, the main goal of the MEDam platform is to provide an opportunity to find and receive medical services accompanied by tourism services.

“The MEDam platform can already be considered almost ready, and we are working closely with its founders. There is a memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry of Health, the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, and the Tourism Committee. The goal is to ensure that the digital solution created is accessible both to citizens of Armenia and to people around the world who are looking for affordable and high-quality medical services,” said Gevorgyan.

Within this broad cooperation, each responsible party provides guarantees in its respective area so that tourists traveling to Armenia for healthcare purposes have a legal basis and confidence that they are visiting licensed specialists.

“For example, the Tourism Committee, together with the platform, is reviewing hotels that can provide conditions for medical services. This means that rooms must be adapted for post-treatment recovery, including appropriate furnishings or access to nursing services. In addition, we are also discussing cooperation with top tour guides, as we believe that visitors who receive treatment should also have the opportunity to discover Armenia and travel,” Gevorgyan noted.

Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan met with Roel Dona, Secretary-General of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP), in Shanghai, China.

Anna Vardapetyan is participating in the 61st session of the IAP Executive Committee in Shanghai as a member of the IAP Executive Committee.

During the meeting, issues of mutual interest were discussed, mainly related to prospects for cooperation within the framework of the Association, according to a press release from Vardapetyan’s office.

Vardapetyan was elected member of the IAP Executive Committee in 2025.

A member of the Armenian civil society delegation participating in the “Peace Bridge” meetings with their Azerbaijani counterparts has said that the initiative’s goal is to develop new approaches and opportunities, alongside existing history and narratives, aimed at advancing the peace agenda.

Areg Kochinyan, the President of the Armenian Council Research Center and coordinator of the initiative, made the remarks at a press briefing in Yerevan after returning from the Azerbaijani city of Gabala, where the latest meeting was held on 10–12 April.

Kochinyan said that the fact that four meetings have taken place so far is already an important achievement.

“I think the very fact that this is already the fourth meeting in this format, and that there is an agreement to continue the meetings, is a significant achievement,” he said.

According to Kochinyan, reciprocal visits, despite numerous difficulties and criticism, contribute to advancing the peace agenda.

“We can name hundreds of reasons why these visits should not take place, but there is one main reason why they should — they contribute to establishing peace between the societies of Armenia and Azerbaijan,” he emphasized.

He noted that during the meetings, the parties also interacted with state officials, who assured them that the peace process is already taking place.

“We are being assured that there is already peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which is in the process of deepening and expanding,” he said.

At the same time, Kochinyan stressed that the initiative does not aim to revise or forget the past.

“The ‘Peace Bridge’ initiative is not about forgetting or denying the past. It is about creating new narratives and new opportunities alongside existing narratives,” he said.

Kochinyan also emphasized that such initiatives cannot guarantee quick results, but their absence would eliminate the possibility of achieving peace.

The Armenian civil society delegation, which held its latest round of the “Peace Bridge” initiative meetings in Azerbaijan, said on Monday that it has repeatedly raised the issue of the remaining Armenian captives and other detainees held in Azerbaijan. 

During a press briefing, Naira Sultanyan, Director of the Democracy Development Foundation, noted that during the initiative’s meetings, members of the Armenian delegation consistently included this issue on the discussion agenda.

“We have spoken about the captives and detainees more than once. Many members of the delegation have included this issue in their remarks,” said Sultanyan.

According to her, the Armenian side emphasized that the issue of captives does not fit within the current logic of the peace process, and that their release would be an important precondition for progress.

“We have stressed that the peace process has moved forward, and these issues must be resolved in order to better ensure the continuation of progress,” she said.

Sultanyan said that the issue of missing persons was also raised during the discussions, emphasizing that the work of the relevant commission is not proceeding at the desired pace.

At the same time, she noted that the Azerbaijani side also raised issues of concern to them, but stressed that the primary goal of the initiative is to create an environment of mutual listening and understanding.

“When you hear the other side’s perceptions, it becomes easier to understand the issue and model realistic solutions,” said Sultanyan.

In her assessment, strengthening trust could help ensure that such humanitarian issues are resolved more effectively in the future and do not become instruments of political pressure.

Armenia’s Prosecutor General, Anna Vardapetyan, met with Ying Yong, Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) of China, during her visit to Shanghai for the 61st session of the International Association of Prosecutors Executive Committee.

Armenian Ambassador to China Vahe Gevorgyan also took part in the meeting.

Anna Vardapetyan thanked her counterpart for initiating the meeting and emphasized the importance of direct dialogue between the prosecutors general of the two countries for deepening cooperation in criminal justice and developing bilateral relations, her office said in a readout.

“The International Association of Prosecutors is an important platform for effective professional dialogue and the strengthening of bilateral ties, designed to facilitate cooperation between the prosecution services of different countries, including our own,” Vardapetyan said.

She also referred to the international and bilateral legal instruments in force between the Republic of Armenia and the People’s Republic of China that regulate cooperation in criminal matters, including legal assistance and extradition.

The Prosecutor General of Armenia also cited statistical data on cooperation, noting that in 2018–2025, the Armenian Prosecutor’s Office sent 37 requests for legal assistance to China on various cases, including cybercrime, tax evasion, illicit drug trafficking, and corruption. During the same period, two of the requests received from China were fulfilled.

The parties emphasized the need to develop cooperation in the law enforcement sphere within the framework of the strategic partnership established between the Republic of Armenia and the People’s Republic of China in 2025.

The prosecutors general of the two countries also highlighted the potential for further cooperation between their offices and, among other issues, discussed practical matters related to legal assistance requests.

Anna Vardapetyan and Ying Yong stressed the importance of intensifying direct contacts between the competent units of their respective offices in order to resolve working issues more swiftly.

During the meeting, the need to develop and formalize a new cooperation program was also discussed.

The prosecutors general of Armenia and China reaffirmed their readiness to expand cooperation, particularly in combating transnational crime, corruption, money laundering, and cybercrime.

At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed confidence that such contacts would contribute to strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing the effectiveness of cooperation.

Anna Vardapetyan is participating in the 61st session of the IAP Executive Committee in Shanghai as a member of the IAP Executive Committee.