April 5, 2026
The war against Iran and the international reaction
The US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRA) has been going on for over a month. This illegitimate military operation once again showed that the philosophy of foreign policy in the world has changed a lot in recent years. If relatively recently the world still relied on international agreements and international rules, then in recent years everything has turned around. Force became law. International jurisprudence has somehow gone out of the basic principles of conducting international relations.
International organizations, which were supposed to monitor the observance of laws, showed surprising indifference. Starting with the UN and other international organizations, which includes the IRA, they have shown a strange passivity, they have not announced any tough measures against the aggressors before, limiting themselves to «serious concern» expressing and «to end the conflict as soon as possible» with calls. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which unites all Muslim countries, also did not express itself clearly. ohTherefore, the main principle of international relations is now: whoever is stronger is right. athat is, essentially, power «the truth» is a new factor that is more and more established in the world.
Similarities and Differences in US and Israeli Goals Towards Iran
Definitely Trump, starting the aggression «in an epic rage» under a sound name, was planning a blitzkrieg in some Iranian version of Venezuela. But it seems to have gone seriously wrong. Iran has shown and is showing serious resistance to America and Israel, bringing unpredictability to world affairs in all directions.
Moreover, it can be argued that there is a certain difference between Trump’s goals and Israel’s goals in Iran. For Donald Trump, despite various statements, it does not matter what regime there is or will be in Iran: Islamic, non-Islamic, monarchical, republican, democratic, non-democratic. The most important thing for Trump is that any regime in that country follows his provisions, instructions and fulfills all his demands. Moreover, Trump “will not mind” if the current regime falls, and is doing everything possible for that. However, it seems that Mr. Trump would agree to leave Tehran alone if the latter ahead go to the terms of the US president.
Unlike Trump, the Islamic leadership of Iran does not satisfy the Israelis in principle. Because for them this regime represents a country that is the last in the world that does not recognize the possibility of the existence of Israel as a Jewish state. It is known that many Islamic countries do not have diplomatic relations with Israel, strongly criticize it, but none of them declares that Israel should disappear from the political map of the world. As a result, The main problem of Israel in Iran is the change of the regime or its destruction, if, of course, it succeeds. Still not working։
Thus, Trump and Israel have common goals for Iran tactically and operationally: the weakening of the regime and the weakening of the Islamic Republic.։ In turn, the strategic objectives are somewhat different. True, not so much that it affects the conduct of military operations. This difference is more theoretical. However, it also affects political practice.
About the Iranian-American negotiations
Thus, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was concerned about Trump’s statements about starting negotiations with Tehran. He is clearly concerned that the US president could strike a deal with Iran without regard to the Jewish state’s security interests, limiting Israel’s ability to strike Iranian territory.
A few words about the ongoing Iranian-American negotiations. Trump talks about them, Iranian politicians deny the fact of dialogue. Most likely is underway familiar with each other’s opinionsspring but not at a high level. Tehran insists that there are no talks, but does not deny that in the case of indirect contacts, the terms, or in other words the demands of the parties to end the war, are being exchanged through countries such as Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan. It was recently reported that China strongly and very convincingly advised US Vice President JD Vance and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to meet in Pakistan. It is not known how true this information is, and if so, whether such a meeting will take place at all or not.
At the same time, Trump is trying to convince everyone that the negotiations are also going on at a high level, hinting at the participation of Majlis Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf. The Iranian mass media called such statements by the US president a “special psychological operation” aimed at creating division in their country. For the sake of objectivity, it should be stated that there are debates, not divisions, as evidenced by the heated debate within the elites regarding Tehran’s further actions.
It is possible that Trump pursues other goals. He announces the allegedly ongoing negotiations, for the success of which he agreed to postpone the total strike on Iran’s energy facilities, first for five days, then for ten days, until April 6. Such tactics by Trump could speak to his plans to buy time to move special forces troops, which include the famous 82nd Airborne Division, to the combat zone. These troops are intended to carry out local amphibious operations.
It cannot be ruled out that Trump hopes that the current, new leadership of Iran will make compromises with him and agree, if not to all American demands, then at least to some of them. And it will give Trump the coveted opportunity to declare a final victory over Iran. Although, in my opinion, such an option is unlikely. The mutual demands of the USA and Iran are contradictory.
Mutual exclusive claims of the parties to each other
like this The White House demands that Iran fulfill its demands. They boil down to the following.
1. The Strait of Hormuz will remain open and will be a free zone for ships.
2. The number and range of Iran’s ballistic missiles will be limited.
3. Iran will give up nuclear weapons. Uranium enrichment will not be carried out on the territory of Iran. Iran’s highly enriched uranium reserves will be transferred to the IAEA. Nuclear facilities, including the uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz and Fordow, the nuclear fuel production research center and plant at Isfahan, will be decommissioned and decommissioned. Iran is committed to ensuring full nuclear transparency and conducting appropriate independent inspections.
4. Iran will withdraw support and funding of its proxy groups in the Middle East, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Yemen’s Ansar Allah, Iraq’s Ghataib Hezbollah, and Palestine’s Hamas.
5. Iran will announce the end of the war with the USA and Israel.
6. Sanctions against Iran will be lifted. The sanctions recovery mechanism will be suspended.
7. The US will provide assistance to Iran in the development of civilian nuclear energy at the Bushehr facility.
In practice, these are all the demands that Washington was putting forward as early as June 2025, before the start of the first war.
For its part, Tehran is putting forward its own conditions for the cessation of hostilities։
1. The USA and its allies will fully compensate Iran for the damage caused by the war (there are still no approximate estimates of this damage).
2. Consolidates Iran’s control over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz with the possibility of charging a toll for passage, similar to Egypt’s control over the Suez Canal.
3. The US gives Iran guarantees of non-aggression, including from American allies (first of all, Israel).
4. Israel stops the operation against the Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
5. The US closes all military bases in the Middle East (they are in all the countries of the Persian Gulf: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, as well as in Iraq, Jordan and Syria).
6. All sanctions are removed from Iran.
7. Iran’s missile program is not subject to any restrictions.
It is doubtful that the US and Iran will be able to reach not only a mutual agreement, but also an understanding of the enemy’s positions based on the above-mentioned requirements to each other.: The official representative of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghai, has already confirmed that the conflict resolution plan addressed to the US contains unrealistic demands, reports “Al-Jazeera”. In addition, Baghai again emphasized that Iran did not participate in the negotiations with the USA.
As for Israel, it is seen in Tehran as a vassal of America, unworthy of mention except as an “illegitimate Zionist regime”. But sometimes that “Zionist tail wags the imperialist dog”, insisting on pursuing an increasingly tough policy towards Iran.
On March 19, Netanyahu gave a summary of the results of the 20 days of the war. And he, in particular, mentioned the three goals of his anti-Iranian “lion’s roar” operation: the destruction of Iran’s nuclear program, the elimination of ballistic potential and the creation of conditions in which the Iranian people will be able to take their destiny into their own hands. In other words, to prepare a revolution. Mr. Netanyahu was more succinct than Mr. Trump, but looked forward to the revolutionary prospect. This once again confirms that Israel does not want to reconcile with the existence of the current Islamic regime in Iran.
The time to attack Iran was not chosen by chance. the situation in and around the Republic of Iran is critical
It seems that Trump and Netanyahu did not choose the time to attack Iran by chance. Let’s not say whether one or the other had internal political reasons for starting their “victorious” war. Focusing on Iran, it would be fair to say that in the eyes of Trump and Netanyahu, the Islamic Republic looked extremely weak in late 2025-early 2026.
It seems that the pro-Iranian “axis of resistance” created in the Middle East by the legendary IRGC general Soleimani, according to analysts, Iran’s unique “nuclear bomb”, is almost eliminated.։ Its most formidable members, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, are themselves fighting for survival.
The Houthis in Yemen (who have already declared war on the US and Israel and have fired missiles at Israel) and various Shiite militias in Iraq may carry out isolated strikes on ships or American land bases in the Red Sea, but they are unlikely to seriously affect the overall course of the war. Although, this war shows that all this created a real crisis in the world economy in all different directions.
A tense situation has arisen between Iran and the monarchies of the Persian Gulf. Tehran has carried out large-scale operations to close the Strait of Hormuz, which has created painful problems not only for the Gulf countries, which are exporters of hydrocarbons, but also for a large number of importers, consumers of Middle Eastern oil and gas, who have finally spoken out against Tehran’s actions.
Recently, there was even a call from the Persian Gulf countries to the USA, which asked Washington to finally solve the “Iranian issue” and eliminate the threat from Tehran. In addition, there they announced their readiness to support America and Israel. Moreover, if at first the Arab monarchies were neutral and even sympathized with Iran, seeing it as a victim of aggression, which is the case, then after Iran attacked them and the American military bases, closing the Strait of Hormuz, they came out against Tehran, already being in solidarity with the USA and Israel.
The situation around Iran is complicated by the difficult situation created inside the country։ It is expressed in many areas. One month of combat operations has dealt a significant blow to the country’s governance system. From the very beginning of the aggression, the Americans and Israelis started a hunt against the leadership of the country, and on the first day they killed the supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, on March 18, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, an influential politician, who, in fact, took control of the country, was killed. Many military and state leaders were killed and wounded during the war. And it has been going on for a month.
However, It is known that after the 12-day war, a clear system was created in Iran to replace the dead leaders. Three or four candidates are “fixed” for each official position in the military and state apparatus in case of the “resignation” of the current leader. In other words, after the death of a commander or some statesman, another person has already been appointed in his place, and he takes the position of the deceased without delay. Thus, a new layer of leaders instantly appears.
It’s no secret that the Americans and Israelis are trying to reach the level of military and politicians with these cynical murders, who would agree to the terms and ultimatums of Trump and Israel, and would essentially sign the capitulation of Iran. However, against the wishes of the Americans and Israelis, the generals of the IRGC, hardened in the battles of the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), are coming to new positions.
Thus, the commander of the corps in that war, General Mohsen Rezai, became the chief military advisor of Mojtaba Khamenei. Mohammad Bagher Zolkadr, another IRGC general, who once held the post of IRGC deputy commander and head of the Joint Staff coordinating the operations of the IRGC and the army, was appointed as the successor of the murdered Larijani as the Secretary of the National Security Council. Later, he held high positions in the judicial system of Iran. It is impossible not to mention the current leader of the Mejlis, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also a general of the IHPK.
These facts prove that after the death of Khamenei, there were clear signs that a soft coup by the IRGC took place in the Islamic Republic, as a result of which the IRGC took the supreme power in its hands under the conditions of American-Israeli aggression. Although before that, of course, the corps was very influential economically, politically, and militarily, but now it has in its hands almost all the levers of management of the centralized state.. On behalf of the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, whether he is alive or not, sick or healthy, the top leaders of the IRGC exercise supreme power in the current regime. It is noteworthy that Mojtaba Khamenei, the third leader in the history of the Republic of Iran, who was elected to that position with the support of the IRPC, has never once made a speech not only in front of the people, but also has not yet made any audio or video announcements.
In connection with the increased role of the IRGC, some disagreements arose between Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian (de facto deposed) and IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi on issues of war and peace.: Pezeshkian criticized the corps’ approach to the escalation of the conflict and continued attacks on neighboring countries, warning of serious economic consequences. The president demanded to return governance to civilian authorities, but Vahidi rejected that demand. The strengthening of the role of the IRGC during the war, confirmed even by American experts, shows the country’s resilience and ability to adapt to the loss of many high-ranking military and civilian officials.
War, Economy and US Plans
The war, with its destruction and victims, exhausts the economic potential of Iran, which was in a systemic crisis in many areas even before the war.
Moreover, if we talk about the economy, for now the oil and gas industry is preserved, but, as can be understood, the aggressors, the USA and Israel, want to leave it for later, so that later, after the war, it will be possible to orient the entire oil and gas industry under their leadership in the direction that is beneficial to them, first of all, to the USA and Trump. Therefore, the situation, taking into account Trump’s demands, is extremely difficult, and it can be said that there are not many prospects for its improvement.
Donald Trump and the Race Against Time
How long will this war last? No one knows it, including its initiator, US President Donald Trump։ However, despite this, it can be boldly stated that Trump is in temporary grips. He needs a victory as soon as possible. Moreover, the victory is not in the universally accepted classical concept. It is about “his” victory, where certain tasks and goals are set, which Trump will declare accomplished. “Keeping his finger on the pulse” and looking at his watch all the time, Trump is constantly turning to Congress.
As a reminder, on November 3, 2026, mid-term elections for the US House of Representatives, Senate, as well as many other federal, regional and local elections are scheduled. Their results may to some extent determine the fate of the Republican Party and, accordingly, Trump.
That’s why Trump needs a quick and “victorious” war in order to show his achievements in Congress before the elections and that he is the “salvation” of the Republicans. Therefore, Trump is certainly “limited” on time, as it follows from some Israeli sources that he expects another 4, 6 weeks of war at the most. It is doubtful whether the Americans will be able to “fulfill” the problems conceived by Trump.
The US president has put himself (yes, the entire US) in a wall position. Declaring victory without the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is unrealistic (although according to some sources, abandoning the idea is being discussed). It is not possible to solve this problem only with aerial missile strikes. It means that a ground or local amphibious operation is necessary.
In recent days, the question of the large-scale ground operation of the US troops has been raised more often. But it is quite clear that it is impossible. Iran has a population of 93 million and, accordingly, many armed forces: the army, plus the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), 600-900 thousand people (according to various sources).
Ground troops represent a significant majority in the combined armed forces. They are numerous and equipped with quite modern weapons and combat equipment. And, of course, we should not forget about the “Basij” personnel who have been preparing for defense for years in each of the 31 provinces of Iran. This militia plays a huge role in the implementation of the ground defense of the country in the plans of the Iranian General Staff, up to the protection of even small settlements. According to the latest data, more than one million Iranians have already been mobilized in case of a US ground invasion in the southern direction of the country.
And in this regard, in order to carry out a ground operation in Iran, the Americans will have to send at least 400,000, or maybe 500,000 army soldiers with a huge amount of combat equipment, which will have to fight in the most difficult climatic and geographical conditions under the conditions of a powerful general defense.: Calling out such numbers, one can understand that it is impossible to wage such a struggle, because there will be huge casualties on the American side. With such losses, the Trump administration and all Republicans will look extremely disadvantaged in the November midterm elections. And not just in elections, but in the eyes of every American today, tomorrow and always.
Moreover, a ground invasion of Iranian territory would undoubtedly unite the population in the face of the actual presence of foreign soldiers.. And if today many Iranians dissatisfied with the Islamic regime look with hope to the “untouchable” destruction of the objects of the regime and government structures that do not satisfy them, then after the American boots enter the Iranian soil, everything can radically change.
Therefore, there is confidence that it will not be a large-scale ground operation, but certain short-term landing operations with relatively small forces to solve certain specific problems are quite real. A contingent of 2,500 US Marines and 2,500 sailors as part of the USS Tripoli amphibious assault group has already arrived in the theater of operations. Transport planes, strike fighters, landing equipment and tactical units are located on the ship.
82 Airborne transports are expected, the US Army’s main rapid response unit of the Division (The 82nd Airborne Division, with a crew of 18․000-20․000, includes three infantry brigade combat groups, an aviation brigade, a division artillery, a logistics brigade, and many specialized units: engineering, intelligence, electronic warfare, and air defense.
Each brigade combatant the group includes approximately 3․800-4․200 troops, three parachute battalions, a cavalry reconnaissance squadron, an artillery battalion with 18 M119A3 105mm howitzers, an engineer battalion and a logistics battalion. The basic principle is “18 hours”. This is the period during which the division must be ready to deploy anywhere in the world. This criterion determines everything: build, weapons, training and rotation)։ The unit is designed to land on the enemy’s territory with the capture and protection of key facilities: airports, ports, road intersections, industrial complexes.
The targets of those amphibious forces could possibly be the capture of Khark Island in the Persian Gulf, through which more than 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports pass. Israel and the US certainly know the cost, so they hit the military facilities on the island, various points, but the oil infrastructure and naval bases were not touched.
Why, because most likely, the United States intends to seize Khark Island in order to trade with Iran on freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, or, if Tehran does not agree, to control the export of Iranian oil. It is not excluded that the US command envisages the capture of other islands near the sea lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as, possibly, the Iranian coast of the Persian Gulf, in order to resolve the Hormuz issue by force.
It is safe to assume that such a local, yet large-scale amphibious operation will be followed by a powerful response from Iran, which will naturally lead to a sharp increase in the number of American casualties. It is a disaster for Trump. Neither the Congress, nor the Republican Party, nor the Americans will forgive him the multi-million victims. Trump’s situation is desperate. it is impossible to leave without the liberation of the Strait of Hormuz, it is impossible to solve this problem without an amphibious operation, the operation will lead to a large number of victims and, as a result, a political collapse for Donald Trump.
Moreover, as noted above, the American boot, even in the small Iranian islands, will fuel a wave of Persian patriotism and anti-Americanism, only strengthening the current government in Iran.
What scenario is possible for the Islamic Republic after the end of the war?
Today, predicting options for the development of events, different scenarios, is a thankless task. Too many incoming factors, too many facts unknown to observers, and sometimes secret plots that change the situation every day and every hour.
The main scenario is realistic: Iran will exist, there is no doubt about it. The question is, in what way? The Islamic Republic of Iran is unlikely to survive in its pre-war form. Yes, maybe with the old name and old state and political attributes, but it will be another Islamic republic, led not by old veterans of the Islamic Revolution, but by young Islamic Revolutionary Corps guards, pragmatists and outward-looking businessmen.
VLADIMIR SAZIN
Candidate of historical sciences
interaffairs.ru
Translation by Zhanna Avetisyan
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Applications Open: 2026 Young Armenian Poets Awards in Honor of Tamar Asadouri
Applications Open: 2026 Young Armenian Poets Awards in Honor of Tamar Asadourian
The International Armenian Literary Alliance, in partnership with h-pem, is pleased to open the 2026 Young Armenian Poets Awards in Honor of Tamar Asadourian, an annual contest that recognizes and provides a platform for exceptional Armenian writers between the ages of 14 and 18.
Gregory Djanikian writes, “The future remains always available to us until death. It is our great act of imagination which gives us the opportunity to pursue what we long for… a vast tabula rasa where anything might be written.” We invite young Armenian poets to write towards an Armenian future. What might the future of Armenianness look like—not only as a nation, but also as a culture, a language, and an identity you are actively shaping? We ask writers to imagine forward: to consider what endures, what transforms, and what has yet to be created. Poems may explore personal or collective visions of the future, they may be grounded in lived experience, or they may reach into speculation, memory, symbolism, or hope. What could be possible?
IALA encourages submissions from any young writer who identifies as Armenian, no matter gender identity and _expression_, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, national origin, socio-economic class, educational background, personal style/appearance, citizenship and immigration status, or political affiliation.
Submissions will be read by IALA Advisory Board members and judges Gregory Djanikian, Armine Iknadossian and Raffi Wartanian. A total of $600 will be granted to the authors of the three top poems selected by the judges ($200 for each author). Winning poems will be published online on IALA’s and h-pem’s respective websites in the fall of 2026. Winning authors will be invited to read their work at IALA’s annual Emerging Writers Showcase. Finally, the winning authors will receive a copy of Tamar Asadourian’s poetry collection, I remember you my future…
IALA is looking to honor work that exhibits invention, technical skill, and the emergence of a unique voice or vision. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on April 30, 2026. You can learn about submission guidelines, read previous winning poems, and submit work here.
“Over the past five years, the Young Armenian Poets Awards have created space for courage and the imagination, and it has been truly inspirational to hear Armenian teen writers from all over the world express their dreams, hopes, and concerns through artful and inventive poetry. We are proud to have spotlighted twenty unique voices to date and look forward to celebrating new ones this year,” says YAPA Founder and Director Alan Semerdjian.
YAPA is made possible by a generous donation from members of Tamar’s family, Sam and Tamig Ekizian.
Tamar Asadourian (1980-2020) was an accomplished pianist, author and artist. At 16, she performed at Carnegie Hall, and was acclaimed as “an absorbing artist of uncommon sensitivity and intelligence.” While studying at the Manhattan School of Music, Asadourian was forced to give up the piano due to illness. She suffered from severe depression, and dedicated herself to writing, drawing and the arts. After her untimely death, a collection of her poetry, prose and artwork was published in a volume entitled I remember you my future… (Naregatsi Art Institute, Yerevan, Armenia, 2022). Read more of Asadourian’s writing here.
The International Armenian Literary Alliance (IALA) supports and celebrates writers and translators around the world by fostering the development and distribution of Armenian literature in the English language, and in translation.
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Israeli attacks displace over 1M in Lebanon, 1 in 5 affected
More than 1 million people have been displaced in Lebanon over the past month following Israeli attacks, with one in every five people in the country currently displaced, according to the UNHCR.
UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch told Anadolu that the humanitarian situation in Lebanon is “deepening day by day.”
“We have seen it during the last one month that the Israeli evacuation orders, then the strikes and people have been on the move. Right now inside Lebanon we have more than a million people that have been displaced because of the escalating conflict inside the region and in Lebanon itself as well,” Baloch told Anadolu news agency.
He stressed that one in five people inside Lebanon “currently is displaced and many of them are desperate, they’re traumatized,” adding that displacement is occurring across the country, with more than 130,000 people sheltering in over 600 collective centers.
“The conflict intensifies and escalates and it does not stop, it keeps going on with the Lebanese people and Syrian refugees who live in Lebanon, affecting them but it also forces people to leave Lebanon and seek safety somewhere else,” he added.
Families are sleeping in overcrowded shelters, often without adequate indoor conditions, he said.
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Pashinyan inspects newly renovated school
1 minute read
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited a newly renovated school in Metsamor during his trip to Armavir Province on Friday.
In a video posted online, Pashinyan can be seen touring the school with other officials.
Deputy Speaker, Iranian Ambassador discuss bilateral ties and regional develop
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan held a meeting on Friday with the Iranian Ambassador to Armenia, Khalil Shirgholami.
According to a readout issued by the Parliament’s press service, the meeting discussed issues related to Armenia-Iran relations.
Both sides emphasized the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation. Deputy Speaker Rubinyan and Ambassador Shirgholami also exchanged views on regional developments.
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Arthur Aleksanyan to skip European Wrestling Championships due to injury
Olympic champion, two-time silver and bronze medalist, and multiple world and European champion Arthur Aleksanyan will not participate in the upcoming European Wrestling Championships.
According to a report by the Armenian Wrestling Federation’s press service, recent media claims suggesting that Aleksanyan would miss the entire 2026 season are inaccurate.
In an official statement, the federation clarified that the renowned Armenian wrestler will only skip the European Championship for now as he is currently recovering from an injury.
“Over the past few hours, information has been circulating in the media that Olympic, world, and European champion Arthur Aleksanyan will miss the whole of 2026 season. We officially announce that, at this stage, Arthur Aleksanyan will only miss the European Championship, as he is recovering from an injury,” the statement said.
The European Wrestling Championships are scheduled to take place from April 20 to April 26.
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Armenia considers restricting social media access for children under 16
Education authorities announced on Friday that a possible ban on social media access for children under 16 is currently under consideration. Tamara Sargsyan, Head of the Department of General Education at the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport, said at a press conference that the potential ban is being discussed jointly with the Ministry of High-Tech Industry and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
“A study is being conducted to identify all major opportunities, risks, and challenges. Only after having this complete picture will it be possible to understand what regulations are needed and how they can be applied accurately and in a targeted way. Accordingly, we will also understand which websites need to be restricted. The topic is sensitive, and there are many questions and layers involved,” said Sargsyan.
The Ministry representative noted that there are problems in this area and a need to establish proper regulations. The digital protection of children is a priority, and the state must be confident that sufficient tools and regulations are in place to protect children in the digital environment.
Australia in December 2025 became the world’s first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. The ban comes amid mounting concerns over the impact of social media on children’s health and safety. Companies that fail to comply could face penalties of up to A$49.5 million ($34.7 million).
Austria will ban social media for children up to the age of 14. Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler and junior digitization minister Alexander Proell said draft legislation for the ban would be finalized by June, according to Reuters. Brazil’s Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents, which requires minors under 16 to link their social media accounts to a legal guardian and bans addictive platform features such as infinite scroll, came into force on March 17. Greece is “very close” to announcing a social media ban for children under 15, a senior government source told Reuters on February 3. In Germany, minors aged 13-16 are allowed to use social media only if their parents provide consent. But child protection advocates say controls are insufficient.
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Armenpress: Armenia’s Varazdat Lalayan and Aleksandra Grigoryan nominated for
For the second consecutive year, representatives of Armenia’s men’s and women’s weightlifting teams have been nominated for the European Weightlifting Federation EWF–AIPS Europe Weightlifter of the Year title.
Ten athletes are nominated in each category for the 2025 EWF – AIPS Europe Weightlifter of the Year title.
From the men’s team, World and European champion and Olympic silver medalist Varazdat Lalayan—and from the women’s team, European champion Aleksandra Grigoryan—are nominated alongside other athletes from Europe.
The winners will be announced ahead of the European Championship, which will take place from April 19–26 in Batumi, Georgia.
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To Trump. Oil or gas production in the Middle East in the Stone Age
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to US President Donald Trump’s threat to “return Iran to the Stone Age”.
“There is one obvious difference between the present and the Stone Age. there was no oil or gas production in the Middle East at that time. Are the US president and the Americans who brought him to power sure that they really want to turn back the wheel of time?” wrote Araghchi.
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The government is going to the bank. the sociologist predicts a Republic of the Constitution
VERELQin an interview with academician, sociologist, former director of the Institute of Philosophy, Sociology and Law of the NAS of RA Gevorg Poghosyan analyzed the current political situation in the republic.
In this interview, the expert questions the ability of the current government to successfully hold the referendum on the adoption of the new Constitution. Azerbaijan insists on this step, as well as on the removal of the reference to the Declaration of Independence from the text of the main law of the country, although the Armenian authorities present the process as a purely internal agenda. According to the expert, the current rating of the ruling party and Nikol Pashinyan is not enough to adopt a new Constitution, especially considering the expected low turnout and active opposition from the opposition.
Gevorg Poghosyan claims that the government’s strategy of scaring the population with the threat of war is no longer effective, and the persistent promotion of unpopular reforms only widens the gap between the state and society. It is expected that the upcoming parliamentary elections will become a scene of tough competition, where the government risks losing its majority. Finally, the sociologist predicts the possible failure of the government’s initiatives, calling the attempts to put pressure on the people counterproductive and dangerous.
Photo: Gevorg Poghosyan, source: aravot.am
VERELQ: Mr. Poghosyan, currently the Armenian authorities are planning to initiate constitutional reforms, which are considered quite controversial by many in the society. As a sociologist who studies public moods and political processes, please tell me, in your opinion, how strong are the positions of the current authorities to implement such a serious step?
Gevorg Poghosyan. As far as I understand, we are not even talking about partial changes, which are a normal part of the political process in any country, but about the adoption of a completely new Constitution, which is much more difficult to do. As for the resources of the government for the implementation of this initiative or the adoption of a new basic law in general, I think the real picture will be shown by the parliamentary elections in Armenia in June of this year. It is obvious that the referendum on the Constitution will take place after them.
According to the results of a number of different studies, the current rating of the ruling party and its leader Nikol Pashinyan is not enough to simply take and change the Constitution. Voter participation in referendums on such fundamental issues (in Armenia, a referendum is considered completed if more than half of registered voters participated in it (50% 1 vote) – author’s note), as a rule, is significantly lower than in presidential or parliamentary elections. Ensuring a sufficient number of participants, and even more, a sufficient number of “yes” voters, is an impossible task.
If the current government decides to hold this referendum, it will have to thoroughly explain to the people what the problem is, why it is necessary to change the Constitution and what exactly will be changed in it. This is the only way to try to ensure at least some kind of participation. However, the political opposition will not sit idle either. In opposition to the authorities, they will prove the exact opposite. that it is more effective to preserve the existing Constitution, or even if to change it, then only partially. At the political level, there will be a very serious struggle for the electorate between the government and the opposition. I think that it will be extremely difficult to ensure the necessary participation of citizens, and most likely the referendum will simply fail.
VERELQ: Returning to the topic of possible failure. During a recent briefing, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was asked what would happen if the referendum did not take place or failed. He answered that in such a case, the vote will be held again and again until the government’s arguments become convincing and the society does not accept them. As an expert, do you think such a scenario is possible? Is it possible to hold a referendum on the same issue several times in a row and ultimately succeed?
Gevorg Poghosyan. It is a completely counterproductive statement. It is obvious that if the initiative does not pass during the first referendum, it will be much more difficult to hold the second one after half a year or a year. I think the Prime Minister’s words are just a figure of speech, which means: “We will try even two hundred times until the people understand…”
In practice, it is as impractical as the last campaign of the authorities against the Armenian Apostolic Church turned out to be impractical. At that time, it was assumed that the authorities would come forward, make statements and be able to depose the Catholicos, but nothing came of it. If you try to impose an unpopular decision again and again, it will only give the population more power against the initiators. When the government insists too much on something that the people categorically do not accept, it does harm only to itself.
VERELQ: In the context of the parliamentary elections to be held on June 7 and, apparently, the future constitutional referendum, the main argument of the authorities is that the society must make a choice between war and peace. Given the difficult backdrop of Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 44-Day War and the subsequent loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, will such rhetoric be convincing enough for ordinary citizens to go and vote for a new Constitution?
Gevorg Poghosyan. First, these political processes will not proceed simultaneously. parliamentary elections will be held separately, and the referendum on the Constitution will be held separately. I doubt that the government will use the same argument in both cases.
As for the “if not us, then there will be a war” thesis, that argument does not work and sounds unconvincing. Moreover, both for professionals involved in politics and ordinary people. The message “If you don’t elect us, war will start” raises a logical question. what, are you inciting that war yourself? This is a very weak position. It is unlikely to work. Some other factors may influence the choice of voters, but this particular argument, in my opinion, will have minimal impact.
VERELQ: Based on sociological data and survey results, how do you assess the chances of the main political forces, the current government and the main opposition bloc, in the upcoming parliamentary elections?
Gevorg Poghosyan. For now, it is difficult to make accurate predictions, because there is still time before the elections. However, one thing is quite clear. the three main opposition forces are already quite serious competition. This threat is so tangible that the government is seriously worried, and its very behavior confirms that the opposition camp is perceived as a very big threat.
VERELQ: Please clarify whether we are talking about the opposition forces, whose leaders are ex-president Robert Kocharyan, politician and businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, as well as big businessman Samvel Karapetyan, who is currently under house arrest in Yerevan.
Gevorg Poghosyan. Yes. Regardless of whether these forces will unite in a single alliance or not, it is obvious that all three opposition camps are pursuing a common goal: the change of the current government. How they will distribute the powers among themselves in the future is a question of the third or even the fifth order. the main thing is that their current problems coincide.
It is no coincidence that the authorities are so worried because they see a growing power in them. It is possible that this potential is not fully reflected in sociological polls, but it is already clear that this will be a very serious competition. This struggle may simply prevent the ruling party from gaining more than fifty percent of the vote. It is possible that they will get twenty-five, thirty or forty percent, but forming a majority, not to mention a constitutional majority, seems to be an extremely problematic task as of today.
VERELQ: And the last question. Returning to the subject of the new Constitution. if the idea of changing the country’s basic law does not find much support in the society, then why does the current government, which by its political nature tends to populism and usually relies on the approval of the masses, take such an unpopular step?
Gevorg Poghosyan. You ask a strange question. The point is that during the last three years, practically everything that this government does, is generally not popular among the population. Starting with the issue of Artsakh. the official statements that Artsakh is Azerbaijan, that the people of Artsakh should not return to their historical three-thousand-year-old homeland, and that this topic is finally closed, all this is absolutely unpopular.
I think that the leadership of the country is just going to the bank, despite the fact that the people do not accept their policies. Society thinks, acts and moves in a completely different direction than the government. This is the case when the paths of the government and the people diverge. Ultimately, this rupture can end in tragedy both for the government itself and, possibly, for the country’s population.
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