April 2, 2026
yesterday 168.amwith the caption “What role did Anna Hakobyan play in the 44-day war, what “operational intelligence” issues did she solve, what information base does she have?” in the article referred to Anna Hakobyan’s post about her awareness of the participation and desertion of detective Artur Avanesyan (Kandaz) in the 44-day war.
Today is the 10th anniversary of the April War, and it seemed that Nikol Pashinyan should have respected the advice of the day during the briefing with journalists after the government meeting, especially when, months after the four-day event, in “Haykakan Zhamanak” his “Talish from Arax. new frontline” titled in the article was talking about Azerbaijan’s failed tank blitzkrieg, the resulting 200 Azerbaijani casualties, and the accuracy of Armenian artillery.
To remind, the KP volunteer detachment left for Artsakh on May 14, when the combat operations unleashed in April were over. They dug a trench in Chankatagh, located far from the border at that time, which “appeared” very close to the border as a result of the 44-day war.
And at that time, by the order of the Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan, Suren Papikyan, who today holds the position of the Minister of Defense, was rewarded “Garegin Nzhdeh” medal, “2016 to participate in the four-day combat operations in April.”
We think it is unnecessary to say how it is possible to participate in the April military operations by going to Artsakh in May, but it is written in the order of the former minister. By the way, other members of the squad also received awards at that time.
And today Nikol Pashinyan in 2016 the four-day flyer recalled, noting that there was a problem with weapons at that time. And nothing that the original claims about the ammunition problem later had denied Andranik Kocharyan, the chairman of the investigative commission of the April war formed during Pashinyan’s rule.
This report was not presented to the public either, but the opposition MPs Tigran Abrahamyan and Gegham Manukyan, who got acquainted with it, spoke to us. they said that the report of Aprilyan’s investigative commission does not mention the results of the four-day meeting, and the wordings found are not substantiated.
In this context, Nikol Pashinyan assured that during the 44-day war of 2020, no unit had any shortage of weapons, and this fact must be faced. “No one lacked weapons.”
Let us recall a few episodes here.
First, in June 2023, the former chief of the General Staff of the RA Armed Forces, Onik Gasparyan had announced.“As a result of weak diplomatic work, in the conditions of being under siege, the uninterrupted and regular provision of the necessary number of missiles and ammunition to the armed forces was not effectively organized, as a result of which it did not give a full opportunity to compensate the expenditure of missiles and ammunition, as well as the losses of weapons and military equipment.”
Second, Andranik Kocharyan, the chairman of the 44-day investigative commission, also on different occasions had insisted about the unfitness of weapons and ammunition, saying: “I sent a huge package of information collected by the investigative commission to the Prosecutor General of RA.”
Third, it is also possible that the military leadership at the time of the 44-day war thought that we needed other weapons and considered its absence as a reason for the defeat in the war, Pashinyan does not think so.
Anyway, Pashinyan at this briefing too referred to to the general “escapes”, repeating his previous statements and accepting the “transfer” made by Anna Hakobyan the previous day, it is a different matter that this time it was necessary to clarify: not all generals are cowards.
“I did not say that the generals are cowards, I said that there are cowardly generals and deserters: And, yes, most of them are judged. We have looting generals going through the illegal property business. And we have generals on corruption charges. I think we have to use the word hero very carefully because we’ve used it so much that we’ve essentially blurred the real heroes into verbal heroes.
The fact that we have people who refused to perform the combat task, I want to understand, who are we hiding from? People should not associate their running away and looting with my orders, I did not give such orders. People wanted to receive such orders, I never gave such orders. Whoever says something like that is from the army of looters. Sometimes you get the impression that the wet is mixed with the dry, I never mix the wet with the dry, and I call people and things by their names. Yes, we have had cowardly generals, what should happen to a person who became a general as a result of corruption, they hung cans in their positions and built their castles in the center of Yerevan, – Pashinyan stated and continued, – they came here from Karabakh, they are “manly”. But during the 44-day war that we are studying their stories, one was a deserter, one was spreading panic, one was the one who ran his son away from the positions, we will name them one by one, and those people will be judged. I hope that the judicial system of Armenia will treat these people in such a way that they will receive the title they deserve, that is, private. They will be deprived of their titles, because they do not have the right to wear those epaulettes.”
In the context of these claims, let us recall other facts.
Nikol Pashinyan says that he did not give orders to retreat or escape.
And what about whether he had the right to the supreme commander’s powers under martial law? to undertake and to issue direct orders to the Head of the General Staff. Furthermore, in what capacity will he counterattack Shushi? gave an order.
Or, on October 7, 8, he had a telephone conversation with Russian President Putin and was informed about Baku’s demand, that is, to surrender without a fight. Fizuli and the Armenian forces retreat along the Araks to the Khodaferin Reservoir so that the reservoir is under Azerbaijani control and they can draw water from there for irrigation purposes. What “certain flexibility” has he shown? which he talked about in the Investigative Commission, isn’t this about the political order to retreat? This is the first.
Second, Pashinyan talks about the escapes of generals or high-ranking military officers, but the criminal cases initiated against the high-ranking military personnel related to the 44-day strike are mainly due to official and official “negligence”. with accusations are
And the 44-day criminal case against Vahan Yailoyan, the “colonel of the heart” of the current authorities, a close friend of RA Defense Minister Suren Papikyan was accused of refusing military service separately from the duties of the regiment commander, which was combined with their actual termination, as well as “showed negligent attitude towards the service”.
But lo and behold, after some time he was acquitted and now he holds a position in one of the important departments of the Ministry of Defense, although before he was acquitted he was in military service, he was in command service in the direction of Yeraskh.
It is interesting that on October 9 or before that, Yailoyan was drawing up an action plan on October 10 Does the commander of the defense area of the defense zone N give up the duties of the commander of an individual regiment? Wasn’t the colonel familiar with the terrain of the southern parts of Artsakh, the Hadrut region, as required by combat operations, because Yailoyan left for Artsakh service from Yerevan, and before that he served in Meghri. But the fact is that he refused to fulfill his duties, in Pashinyan’s language, he “ran away”.
This series of facts can be supplemented during the war and traitors and panic-mongers, and weapons non-store openers: About the search for Pashinyan, but for now let’s limit ourselves to this.
And if Pashinyan is sure of his innocence and military responsibility, then let him publish the report of the investigative commission, especially when he talks about not hiding the truth.
And let the military leadership during the 44-day period continue to be silent, “swallow” Pashinyan’s spittle and not talk about how his son was saved, how maybe the son of this or that official escaped, etc. And Pashinyan will go to the end, and if some think that silence or giving shelter to the Ministry of Defense on November 9, 2020 will save them from prison, they are wrong, everything is still ahead.
But that’s their choice…
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Iran’s FM confirms contact with US envoy Witkoff, denies talks under way
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has confirmed that messages had been exchanged with the United States, either directly or through countries in the region, amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, Al Jazeera reports.
During an interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi said that the contacts with the US did not mean that Tehran was in negotiations with Washington.
“I receive messages from [US special envoy Steve] Witkoff directly, as before, and this does not mean that we are in negotiations,” he said.
“There is no truth to the claim of negotiations with any party in Iran. All messages are conveyed through the Foreign Ministry or received by it, and there are communications between security agencies,” he said.
Araghchi explained that they have never had a “good experience” negotiating with the US, adding that one time years ago they secured a deal, only for the US to withdraw from it, alluding to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“We do not have any faith that negotiations with the US will yield any results. The trust level is at zero”, he said, adding: “We don’t see honesty.”
Amid reports of a possibility of a US ground operation in the country, the Iranian official reiterated that Tehran was not scared.
“We are waiting for them,” he said, adding: “I don’t think they’d dare to do such a thing. There will be a lot of strength waiting for them.”
“We know very well how to defend ourselves. In a ground war, we can do it even better. We are completely ready to confront any sort of ground attack. We hope they do not make such a mistake,” Araghchi said.
The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posed a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East.
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RPA decided not to directly participate in the elections
April 1, 2026
The Republican Party of Armenia issued a statement, informing in particular: “The meeting of the Executive Body of the Republican Party of Armenia took place today, during which the 2026 election was discussed. the question of the party’s participation in the parliamentary elections to be held on June 7.
As a result of a comprehensive analysis, a decision was made about the immediate non-participation of the Republican Party in those elections.
The reasons for the decision and the next steps of the party will be presented at the 18th congress of the RPA to be held on April 4.
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Did Ararat Mirzoyan overcome poverty?
Ararat Mirzoyan, who holds the post of RA Foreign Minister, appeared at the Sunday meeting of Nikol Pashinyan’s unannounced campaign in a very ordinary, simple “look” with a half-sleeved jacket.
“However, as open sources show, that jacket of his is from the Brunello Cucinelli brand and is quite expensive: according to some websites, it ranges from 5,000 to more than 5,600 dollars,” 168.am writes.
The mass media had the opportunity to make various publications about Ararat Mirzoyan’s rapid social growth, especially since they themselves opened the topic back in 2019. Pashinyan said that the loan for the washing machine in their house has not been repaid until now, and Ararat Mirzoyan also remembered. “I went to get a TV on credit, they didn’t give it to me, the enforcer put a lien on my account.”
Of course, the official presenting himself in this “expensive-modest” form in meetings with “proud citizens of the Republic of Armenia” is only a part of the “happy bus and sad reality”.
Let’s just remind that many of them had accumulated debts even in pubs and cafes before the color revolution of 2018. And now they only use expensive shops, restaurants…
Moreover, the other members of the Communist Party do not give up either. not only are they talking about millions, but they are also living a luxurious life with expensive acquisitions, purchases and pleasures.
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Amid Iran conflict, combative neighbours Armenia and Azerbaijan try to stay ab
Armenia, Azerbaijan fought major wars in 1991-94 and 2020
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Asbarez: A Meaningful Day of Connection as Mesrobian School Visits Ari Guirago
SANTA ANA, Calif. — Ari Guiragos Minassian Armenian School welcomed students from Mesrobian School for a special day of connection, culture, and shared learning bringing together third through sixth grade students from both institutions.
The visit began with a series of Armenian theatrical performances presented by AGM’s fourth through sixth grade students. The program showcased students’ language proficiency and artistic _expression_, highlighting the role of Armenian schools in preserving and promoting Armenian language and culture through experiential learning.
Following the performances, students participated in informal bonding activities across campus, providing an opportunity to build connections and foster camaraderie among peers from both schools. The gathering continued with a shared lunch in Gugasian Hall, where students engaged in conversation and strengthened a sense of community and togetherness.
The afternoon featured organized group activities, including relay races, basketball, and team-based games, designed to encourage collaboration, teamwork, and school spirit.
Addressing students during the program, AGM Principal Ani Shahinian Sarkissian emphasized the significance of Armenian education, stating:
“Today reminds us why Armenian schools like AGM and Mesrobian are so special. When you attend Armenian school, you don’t just learn Armenian—you live it every single day. You speak it, you perform in it, and you carry it with you wherever you go.”
This visit was more than a field trip; it was a celebration of culture, language, and community. In a world where preserving Armenian identity requires intention and unity, days like this reaffirm the importance of coming together as sister schools to uplift and inspire the next generation. By bringing students together in meaningful and engaging ways, both institutions reinforced the importance of community and the lived experience of Armenian heritage.
AGM looks forward to continued partnership with Mesrobian School and to creating future opportunities for students to connect, learn, and celebrate their shared Armenian identity.
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Armenia doctors raise alarm over salary cuts in primary care
Armenian family doctors, therapists and pediatricians are warning that their salaries are being deliberately reduced through administrative directives, according to physician and healthcare organizer Gevorg Grigoryan.
Grigoryan said video instructions have been circulated to polyclinics, directing staff to cancel patient visits in electronic records after consultations. The cancellations lower the number of reimbursable services reported to the state insurance fund, effectively cutting doctors’ pay.
“After seeing numerous patients each day, pediatricians and therapists are ordered to sit at the computer and cancel visits, forfeiting their income,” Grigoryan said on Friday, adding that the situation is deteriorating.
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Oscar-winning producer Sev Ohanian plans two projects on Armenian topic, says
The films of Armenian-American producer Sev Ohanian have won Oscars, Cannes awards, Golden Globes and other prestigious prizes. Ohanian creates multi-genre films, addressing the problems of individuals and different communities. He does not forget to touch on the Armenians. The producer says he wants to occupy a strong place in American cinema by making valuable films on Armenian topics.
In 2026, the film “The Sinners” brought great success to Sev Ohanian, winning four Oscars in addition to a number of other awards. An Armenpress correspondent managed to get in touch with the producer. The interlocutors spoke about the Oscar-winning film, Ohanian’s journey and the nuances of cinematography.
– Good morning, Mr. Ohanian, how are you?
-I’m very well. How are you?
– Very well, since we managed to get in touch with you. How is the day going for an Oscar-winning producer living in the US?
-My wife Natalie and I have a three-year-old son named Aren. In recent months, I have been very busy, including on weekends. Before the Oscars, I participated in various award ceremonies and film promotion events, and I was not home much. Yesterday, I found time to take my son to the park, and today I have already visited my parents and helped them.
– You manage to be a good father, a good husband, and a good professional.
-I try.
– In recent weeks, we have been eagerly awaiting one of the most prestigious events in cinema, the Oscars, where your film “The Sinners” was nominated in a record 16 categories. You won in four categories, for which I congratulate you. People in Armenia are also proud of you and have high expectations.
-Thank you.
– Cultural figures often say that after big victories, there is sometimes a feeling of emptiness. How is it in your case?
-We have many goals, and there is a lot of work to do, so we stay busy. We are implementing television projects in Canada, the US and elsewhere. We do not have much time to think about awards, but I am very happy because our film was loved and watched all over the world. For us, it is a great victory. We especially value Autumn Durald’s victory in the Best Cinematography category — she is the only female filmmaker to receive an award in that category. The victories of Ryan, Michael and Ludwig are also very meaningful for all of us. That day, we celebrated until dawn.
– Did you expect that you would win in the categories of Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score and Best Cinematography? Maybe you had other expectations.
-Before the awards ceremony, we thought that the film “One Battle After Another” could win, but we did not focus on winning or losing. In fact, we do not make films for awards – we simply love this work and want to make more films that are relevant to different cultures. Awards in different categories can also help in their own way to create new films about both Black and Armenian families.
– I enjoyed watching “The Sinners,” the events of which develop quickly and unexpectedly. I noticed that one of the main elements of the film is music. Why did you build the film around blues?
-My partner, the film’s director Ryan Coogler, comes from a Black American family, for whom this music is very important. In addition, pop, rock, rock ’n’ roll and a number of other musical genres originated from blues.
There is a scene in the film where the character plays music and sees his ancestors and relatives. When creating the film, we hoped that even after many years, people would understand that art and music have a unifying quality.
-As the film’s prologue says, music erases the boundaries between life and death, present and past. You have been collaborating with Ryan Coogler for a long time. In addition to the film “The Sinners,” you have made a number of other films. Do your visions as a producer and director always coincide?
-My first film is called “My Big Fat Armenian Family.” During the holidays, I joined forces with my friends and relatives and filmed it on my father’s camera. The film consisted of small parts, which I later turned into a complete film. I spent eight hundred dollars on it. I decided to show it at a school in Glendale.
I didn’t expect that more than a thousand people would pay to watch my film. When I was accepted to the Southern California Film School, where there were students from all over the world and I was the only Armenian, I was embarrassed to show the film. I thought they wouldn’t understand it, especially since it was in Armenian. The only person who wanted to see the film was Ryan Coogler. He not only understood it but also loved it, noting that it reminded him a lot of his own family and friends.
He said that we are representatives of different nations and families, but we have a lot in common. After graduating from university, our cooperation began. We have been working together for about 15 years and still have many projects. Ryan always says that we should make a film on an Armenian theme, as well as a TV show, which we are already working on. One of my goals was to establish a place in American cinema that would allow us to present our stories in the future.
– Armenian history is rich in interesting events. Is there a page or an episode that you would like to explore in a film?
-We have two projects that I cannot talk much about right now. One of the films tells the story of heroes living in different parts of the world. One of the characters is from Latin America, another from Africa, Asia and Armenia. It will be an action-adventure film. I think that when watching the film, people will reflect on how brave and intelligent the Armenian woman is. Her character will give us an opportunity to get to know her better. The other project is a TV series about Armenians living in the United States.
– Let’s go back to the film “The Sinners.” In the film, Michael B. Jordan plays two characters. It seems that the filming was complicated. Was there a part that was particularly difficult to shoot?
-There’s a scene where the vampires dance. We decided to shoot it in one night. We worked until sunrise. There were many difficult days. Michael did a great job and truly deserved the Oscar. One of the twin brothers (both played by Michael B. Jordan) wore smaller shoes, while the other wore larger ones. We paid attention to such details to make everything more convincing.
– You said that you wanted to establish your place in cinema to tell our stories. Some of your successful films include “Fruitvale Station” and “Judas and the Black Messiah,” which won awards at Cannes and other prestigious film festivals. Was that path easy? It is also worth noting that the films were commercially successful.
-It was difficult at first. My wife, Natalie, is also a producer, and I work with her. We have a film called “Searching.” The budget of the film was $800,000, but it earned $75 million and was a great success. Such works enhance our reputation and allow us to implement our other projects more easily. Now it is very difficult to make a film on an Armenian theme. In the past twenty-five years, no Armenian-themed film shot in the United States has made money, even if it was good, like “The Promise.”
Twenty years ago, Atom Egoyan made “Ararat,” which also did not generate much revenue. Studios that finance films take everything into account. They try to understand how much similar Armenian-themed films have earned before deciding to invest. So we need to move step by step so that the right time comes and they can more easily provide funding.
– I remember how happy we were last year when we saw Armenian actors Karen Karagulyan and Vache Tovmasyan in a non-Armenian film. This year, your name was mentioned. Your parents are from Persia, you were born in Germany and grew up in the United States. In your film about an Armenian family, respect and care are emphasized. What Armenian traditions have been preserved in your family?
-We speak Armenian at home. I speak Persian Armenian, and my wife speaks Western Armenian. Our son attends an Armenian school. I want us to always be surrounded by Armenians. I should also mention that we often go to Armenian restaurants, which is wonderful.
– In the context of globalization, we are also trying to preserve traditions in our country. Mr. Ohanian, it is often said that cinema is a serious strategic tool, but in recent years it has become more about entertainment. In your opinion, what problem should it address?
-My mother, father and I are immigrants. Many of our relatives also moved to the United States. At first, we didn’t have any money, but we gradually made progress. I think there is a serious issue with immigrants in America today that many people do not talk about. It seems that the United States does not appreciate its immigrants as much now, and that is wrong. If possible, I would make a film about people coming from other countries and making the United States better.
There is conflict in the world. We need to watch as many films as possible that unite us and promote peace. “The Sinners” touches on this as well. It shows that people who are different from white Americans are also good, hardworking, loving and loved.
– Do you follow Armenian cinema?
-I follow it a little.
– Have you thought about working with Armenian actors?
-I really like Karen and Vache from the film “Anora.” Angela Sarafyan is a great actress, and Eric Bogosian as well. Among Armenian directors, Gor Kirakosyan makes very entertaining films. When he shows me his films, I am surprised that he can achieve such results with such limited resources. When I have the opportunity to come to Armenia, I would like to meet other filmmakers as well.
– I hope you will visit Armenia soon. There will be an opportunity to meet you and perhaps hold master classes, as students and those interested in cinema need this.
-In 2016, I taught at TUMO for a few weeks. The students were very smart. At that time, I was also teaching in the US, and those 16-year-olds were no less talented than my twenty-year-old students.
There are many talented young people in Armenia. My wife and I have established a scholarship with the Armenian Educational Foundation. Every year, we cover the cost of a four-year college education for one student in Armenia. We want Armenian talent to remain in Armenia.
– I wish you a wonderful day, Mr. Ohanian. Thank you once again for giving Armenpress your time.
-Thank you.
3 million drams for 1 purchase. Foreign Ministry to the US Vice President in 1685. Venetian rare
March: 25, 2026
The State Protocol Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a contract in the electronic procurement system the other day, from which we learn that the Gospel printed in Venice in 1685 (a rare and exclusive sample of 17th century printing) was purchased within the framework of the US Vice President’s visit to Armenia.
“The publication consists of 450 two-column pages. It is printed in the ancient Armenian font (grabar) and has an engraved title page. It includes the epistles of the four Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The design is typical of the high artistic level of Venetian Armenian printing.
The cover is made of dark leather with silver decoration. In the central part there is a silver sculptural composition depicting Jesus Christ against the background of radiant glory.
The four corners have silver sculptural elements with angelic/Christian images that balance the overall composition. The composition is equipped with leather closing valves, which have preserved their structure,” the technical specification of the contract states.
The State Protocol Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the purchase from “Mariam Hunanyan” PJSC for 2 million 926,000 drams.
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Speaker: Opposition forces are ‘parties of war’
Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan, a senior member of the ruling Civil Contract party, again warned voters ahead of the June 7 elections that they will have to choose between peace and a possible war.
“I understand that the forces currently in the [parliament] hall, and those who want to enter Parliament, need war—they need to talk about war in order to build something politically on it. But right now, there is no war; there is peace,” Simonyan said, referring to the opposition.
He emphasized that for the past two years, there has been no deadly gunfire on the border, unlike before.
“Is it war now, or is it peace? Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, never before have Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in trade, and never before have the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan spoken about peace from both sides,” he said at a press briefing.
Simonyan highlighted that the established peace must be safeguarded so it “does not slip away.”
“The current government of the Republic of Armenia—the Civil Contract party—is a party of peace, while the main opposition actors are parties of war. That is the reality. If people say that claims must be made, that is called war,” Simonyan said.
According to him, after its collapse, the Soviet Union left unresolved border issues everywhere—in Central Asia, Ukraine, and the South Caucasus region.
“And they told us: you, who live in Armenia, always dream that your home is not only here, it is also there, and we will take care of it. The goal is for us to always remain dependent on them. Yes, there is a party of war, and there is a party of peace. And yes, the 2026 election will be about peace and the possibility of war,” the Speaker of the National Assembly emphasized.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned last week that the country could face an imminent war if some opposition forces, whom he described as being controlled from abroad, win the upcoming parliamentary elections. He accused these opposition forces of attempting to revise the recently established peace and making belligerent statements.
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