U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence that an agreement could soon be reached to end the Iran war and urged the Tehran-aligned Hezbollah group to hold its fire as a 10-day truce went in to effect between Lebanon and Israel, Reuters reports.

Trump said the next meeting between the United States and Iran could take place at the weekend and an extension of a two-week ceasefire was possible, but may not be needed as Tehran wanted ‌a deal.

“We’re going to see what happens. But I think we’re very close to making a deal with Iran,” he told reporters outside the White House, adding if an agreement was reached and signed in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, he may go there for the occasion.

Hours later while in Las Vegas, Trump went further, saying the war “should be ending pretty soon”.

Reuters reported citing a Pakistani source involved in mediating between the U.S. and Iran as saying on Friday there was progress in backdoor diplomacy and that an upcoming meeting between the two sides could result in the signing of an agreement.

The two sides would first sign a memorandum of understanding followed by a ⁠comprehensive agreement within 60 days, the source said, according to Reuters.

“Detailed agreement comes later. Both sides are agreeing in principle. And technical bits come later,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Armenian Ambassador to the United States, Narek Mkrtchyan, hosted Riley Barnes, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, at the Armenian Embassy.

According to the embassy’s readout, the Ambassador emphasized the importance of U.S. support for strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring the continuity of this assistance.

“The parties exchanged views on the implementation of the TRIPP initiative, as well as on hybrid threats, countering disinformation, and a number of issues related to religious freedom. The interlocutors reaffirmed their readiness to deepen cooperation in areas of mutual interest,” the embassy added.

The mayor of a town in southern Armenia, where the TRIPP regional connectivity project is expected to pass, has hailed it for the huge profits it is expected to generate.

Meghri Mayor Khachatur Andreasyan told Armenpress that TRIPP will be beneficial not only for the Meghri municipality in Syunik Province, but for the entire country.

“TRIPP will be beneficial both for our community and for Armenia as a whole, because our country will become a transit state. Taking this into account, a new and large customs checkpoint is being built, which will handle up to 2,000 vehicles per day. The current checkpoint now serves 300–400 vehicles daily. TRIPP will bring us huge profits and will contribute to the economic development of the region,” Mayor Andreasyan said.

The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) is a connectivity project in Armenia, envisaged under the U.S.-brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani joint declaration signed in Washington, D.C. The project is expected to unlock strategic economic opportunities, create long-term benefits by promoting infrastructure investment, and enhance regional connectivity. An Armenian-American joint enterprise is expected to develop the route.

Meghri has been named the 2026 Cultural Capital of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), a regional intergovernmental organization of states in Eurasia. The interview with Mayor Andreasyan was conducted as part of the celebrations marking this occasion.

Andreasyan said the designation has elevated the status of the municipality across the region. The mayor said that Meghri, which he described as “Armenia’s southern gate,” is now a crossroads of peace and trade. Tourism is also developing in Meghri. In this regard, there has been notable growth, with the number of guesthouses increasing.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry has extended Independence Day greetings to Syria.

“Our warm congratulations to the Government & people of Syria on the 80th anniversary of Independence Day. Armenia values its ties with Syria. We closely follow positive developments in Syria, hoping they will pave the way for peace, stability & a prosperous future for its people,” the foreign ministry said in a post on X.

The Belgian Chamber of Representatives has unanimously adopted a resolution expressing strong support for Armenia’s peace agenda and for the further deepening of Armenia–European Union relations.

The author of the resolution is MP Michel de Maegd, and its adoption carries significant political importance, especially ahead of the European Political Community summit and the EU–Armenia summit scheduled to take place in Yerevan next month.

Armenpress’s Brussels correspondent reported that 134 votes were cast in favor of the resolution, with none against and no abstentions.

The adopted document once again reaffirms that all parliamentary political forces in Belgium share a unified position on developing a partnership with Armenia and supporting initiatives aimed at ensuring the country’s peace. The unanimous adoption of the resolution indicates a broad political consensus in Belgium on elevating bilateral relations with Armenia to a qualitatively new level.

This decision sends an important message not only in terms of advancing Armenia–Belgium relations, but also in the broader context of closer ties between Armenia and the European Union. It underscores that support for Armenia continues to strengthen within European political circles as a key prerequisite for promoting peace, stability, and regional cooperation.

A new daily regulation reservoir has been inaugurated in Lori Province. The reservoir, financed by the Government of Serbia, is expected to contribute to the economic development of several communities in the region.

The official opening ceremony was attended by Serbia’s Ambassador to Armenia, Tatjana Panajotović Cvetković; UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, Natia Natsvlishvili; Deputy Governor of Lori Province Arsen Darbinyan; and the head of the Lori Berd community, Arayik Nersisyan.

The new reservoir, built in the Hovnanadzor village of the Lori Berd community, has a capacity of 8,900 cubic meters and a 450-meter-long distribution pipeline. It will serve two consolidated communities—Lori Berd and Alaverdi.

In total, nine rural settlements will directly benefit from this system, which will supply the existing irrigation canal.

Serbia’s Ambassador to Armenia, Tatjana Panajotović Cvetković, noted that Armenia and Serbia have very close ties and cooperation. Since the opening of the Serbian Embassy in Armenia in 2019, significant efforts have been made to further strengthen and deepen these relations.

According to her, this project is also aimed at that goal—strengthening relations between the two countries.

“When the flood occurred in Armenia, it was decided that part of the assistance provided by the Government of Serbia would also be allocated to the implementation of such projects,” she said, referring to the 2024 floods that hit Armenia’s northern Lori and Tavush regions caused by relentless rains.

“From the perspective of preventing future floods, this is extremely important. This is the first time Serbia has provided such assistance. We are talking about €1 million, which has been allocated to various projects in water management, solar panels, and the development of renewable energy. In addition, the programs contribute to the empowerment of women and youth, as well as the strengthening of local communities. It is important that through all this we are strengthening the ties between our countries,” the ambassador said.

UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia Natia Natsvlishvili added that the main goal of the initiative is to provide benefits to communities through a multifunctional program.

“UNDP has been operating in Armenia for 30 years, and we are pleased to have active cooperation with all regions of the country. Lori Province is one of the important areas where we implement a number of programs. Today we are inaugurating a reservoir in the Lori Berd community, which provides a new source of irrigation water for surrounding settlements. It also contributes to energy efficiency. In Lori Province, we have residential areas that are becoming more energy efficient, and we plan to continue active cooperation with the region,” she said.

Lori Deputy Governor Arsen Darbinyan also emphasized the importance of the project, noting that regulated reservoirs are of great significance. According to him, they contribute to the formation of a microclimate, help reduce flood risks, and ensure stable irrigation.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said there is only one way to put an end to the “formers versus currents” debate in the country: the Strong Armenia party led by Samvel Karapetyan, the Armenia Alliance led by former President Robert Kocharyan and Prosperous Armenia Party should not enter parliament in the upcoming elections.

Pashinyan made the remarks in parliament.

Pashinyan called out the opposition for clocking in during debates and then leaving, a tactic he said is used to keep their payrolls. He added that the opposition began attending the session after he called them out the previous day.

“Opposition MPs come to register at parliamentary sessions in order to keep receiving salaries. For eight years, we have been accused of receiving salary bonuses, but they themselves secretly register and leave just to earn a few extra drams. As a result, I noted this and made it public, and they were forced to come and participate in the speech phase,” he said.

The prime minister added that participation in the session’s speech segment once again led to a “former vs. current” political debate, noting that he has repeatedly stated the need to move beyond this narrative.

He further stated that the 2026 parliamentary elections are the “last chance for the coalition of the years of Robert Kocharyan’s and Serzh Sargsyan’s rule.”

“This further highlights the need to overcome the ‘former-current’ confrontation. It is now clear that there is only one way to do this: in the 2026 parliamentary elections, the ‘Strong Armenia’ party, the ‘Armenia’ alliance and Prosperous Armenia Party must fail to cross the electoral threshold to enter parliament. And with each passing day, this becomes a more realistic political objective,” the prime minister said.

The “formers versus currents” debate has been a recurring narrative in Armenian domestic politics since the 2018 Velvet Revolution, reflecting a sharp divide between Pashinyan’s government and the earlier administrations of second and third presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan. The largest parliamentary opposition force, known as the Armenia Alliance, is led by Kocharyan. Meanwhile, business tycoon Samvel Karapetyan is Strong Armenia’s candidate for prime minister in the June 7 elections. Pashinyan has repeatedly described Karapetyan, Kocharyan, as well as another opposition figure and business magnate Gagik Tsarukyan as the “tripartite war party.” Meanwhile, Sargsyan has said his Republican Party would skip the elections.

Future has shared on his Instagram account a video posted by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan showing him in his car listening to “Mask Off.”

“Mask Off” is a song by American rapper Future from his eponymous fifth studio album (2017).

Pashinyan has recently been posting short viral videos of himself listening to music from various genres.