This was reflected in the “Report on the activities of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2025,” which was discussed at Friday’s session of the country’s parliament.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States is waiving certain oil-related sanctions as a way to ensure adequate oil supply and lower prices, Reuters reports.
At a news conference at his Doral golf club, Trump said oil prices have not spiked as much as he had feared.
Trump said the United States is waiving certain oil-related sanctions to cut prices.
“We have sanctions on some countries. We’re going to take those sanctions off till the Strait (of Hormuz) is up,” Trump said, according to Reuters.
He was not specific, but the United States last week issued a temporary, 30-day waiver to allow for the sale of Russian oil currently stranded at sea to India to alleviate pressure on the global oil market.
President Trump also threatened the Iranian regime against halting the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz amid the war. “If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” the president wrote on his Truth Social platform.
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Border crossings between Armenia and Iran continue normally amid the ongoing hostilities in the Islamic Republic, according to the foreign ministry.
The Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the Armenian Embassy in Iran continues to operate in emergency mode, assisting not only Armenian citizens but also foreigners willing to leave the country and enter Armenia.
On March 9, one Armenian citizen returned from Iran to Armenia. Another citizen had returned earlier after the U.S.-Israeli campaign began.
“The Armenian Embassy in Iran receives an average of around 20–25 calls per day, mostly concerning the possibility of crossing the Armenia–Iran border. Border crossings from Iran to Armenia and from Armenia to Iran are being carried out under normal conditions. Due to communication restrictions, the Armenian Embassy in Iran is continuously assisting in conveying information about Armenians currently in Iran to their relatives,” the foreign ministry said.
There have been no reports of Armenian nationals among the casualties in Iran.
Foreign citizens also continue to contact the embassy to obtain information about the possibility of entering the Republic of Armenia. They are being provided with the necessary explanations and guidance, the foreign ministry said.
At the same time, the embassy continues to provide the necessary assistance to diplomats from several diplomatic missions accredited in Iran, as well as to their family members, facilitating their return through the territory of Armenia.
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 posing 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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Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan held a meeting in Paris with Thomas DiNanno, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.
According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s readout, Mirzoyan and DiNanno discussed deepening the strategic partnership between Armenia and the United States across various areas.
The Armenian Foreign Minister and the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security expressed satisfaction over the completion of negotiations on the agreement between the governments of Armenia and the United States on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. They emphasized their readiness to sign the agreement in the relevant format and to continue cooperation in the sector.
Regional infrastructure projects were also discussed, and they exchanged views on other matters of mutual interest.
Earlier in February, Armenia and the U.S. announced the completion of negotiations on an Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (“123 Agreement”).
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A new study revealed key insights about Mediterranean language families’ origins, including Italo-Celtic and Graeco-Armenian branches of Indo-European. An international team of geneticists and archaeologists conducted this research. They examined how ancient migrations influenced the emergence of linguistic groups that shaped Mediterranean civilizations.
The team published their findings on the preprint server bioRxiv. They analyzed genetic data from 314 ancient individuals who lived in the Mediterranean 5,200 to 2,100 years ago. The researchers used advanced genome sequencing and strontium isotope analysis. This revealed significant genetic and cultural differences between eastern and western Mediterranean populations.
The study pinpoints two key migration patterns that had an impact on the genetic and linguistic roots of the Mediterranean. People in the Western Mediterranean, including those in Spain, France, and Italy today felt the influence of the Bell Beaker culture, a group with origins in Western Europe. This culture is linked to the rise of Italic and Celtic languages.
In contrast, populations in the eastern Mediterranean, like those in Greece and Armenia, showed direct genetic input from the Yamnaya, a group of herders from the Western Steppe area covering parts of today’s Ukraine southern Russia, and Kazakhstan. These movements set the stage for the development of classical Greek and Armenian languages. The findings align with the linguistic hypotheses of Italo-Celtic and Graeco-Armenian.
Distribution of Bell Beaker-derived and Yamnaya-derived ancestry proportions obtained from the IBD admixture model. The proportion of each steppe source is standardized by the total steppe contributions, i.e. the sum of Corded Ware, Bell Beaker and Yamnaya-Samara contributions. Credit: Fulya Eylem Yediay et al., (2024)
The genetic evidence supports linguistic theories about how Indo-European languages diverged in the Mediterranean. The researchers showed how people from the steppes brought their genes and introduced big cultural changes. These included chariot technology and advanced metallurgical techniques, which local societies adopted.
In Italy, people of the Bronze Age in the north and central parts had genes linked to the Bell Beaker culture. This ancestry matches the Italic languages, including Latin, which later spread across the peninsula. On the other hand, people in southern Italy and along the Adriatic coast showed more Yamnaya influence mirroring the genetic patterns seen in Greek and Balkan groups.
Bronze Age spread of Yamnaya Steppe pastoralist ancestry into two subcontinents—Europe and South Asia. Credit: DEMIS Mapserver / Wikimedia Commons
The results question older ideas, like the Italo-Germanic theory, which proposed closer language connections between Italic and Germanic languages. The research also uncovered complex situations such as mixed genetic heritage in the Balkans coming from Bell Beaker Yamnaya and Corded Ware cultures.
The study highlights the Mediterranean as a lively center of genetic and cultural mixing during the Bronze Age. Cyprus, for example, became a crossroads for influences from Greece, the Levant, and Anatolia. In the same way, ancient Italian groups showed varied ancestry combining local Neolithic farmer lines with newcomers from Central Europe.
The study is a big step forward in grasping how Indo-European languages split up in their early days. While the findings clear up many points about how languages branched off, they still don’t answer everything. For example, we’re still not sure about the exact links between all parts of the Indo-European family tree.
By combining genetics, archaeology, and linguistics, this research offers a strong way to explore how human history is all tied together.
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21:05,
YEREVAN, 27 FEBUARY, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan visited the Iraq National Museum as part of his official visit to Iraq.
During his visit, the President of Armenia familiarized himself with the museum’s extensive collection and unique exhibits showcasing Iraq's rich history and culture.
The extensive collection of the museum shows the development of human civilization from ancient settlements to the rise and fall of great empires. Some of the exhibits span over 10.000 years old. Following the tour, President Vahagn Khachaturyan expressed his gratitude to the museum staff, emphasizing the significance of their mission.
The President emphasized that the presented exhibits prove once again that Iraq is one of the cradles of human civilization.
"Thank you for this opportunity. I hope that as a result of the cooperation between your museum and the History Museum of Armenia, the citizens of Armenia will also have the opportunity to see some samples of this museum, and the citizens of Iraq will have the opportunity to explore the samples of the History Museum of Armenia. I hope that the exhibits of our museum will also interest you," said the President.
After the tour, the President made a note in the Museum’s guestbook.
20:26,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. France will continue to support efforts aimed at a just and stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. France is convinced that this can only be achieved if international law, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of borders are respected.
French President Emmanuel Macron said this during a joint statement with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for media representatives.
"I want to reiterate once again that you can count on France's support for Armenia, its independence, territorial integrity, democratic process and its aspirations for peace.
Our meeting will allow us to discuss negotiations aimed at regulating relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The recent incidents in Syunik prove that the danger of escalation remains real.
France will continue to support efforts aimed at a just and stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. France is convinced that this can only be achieved if international law, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of borders are respected,'' he said.
He noted that during the meeting held in Prague in 2022, the Armenian Prime Minister reaffirmed Armenia's commitment to the Alma-Ata Declaration and it is necessary for Azerbaijan to resolve the ambiguity regarding the territorial integrity and maps of the Republic of Armenia.
According to Macron, this is necessary in order to carry out work on the delimitation and demarcation of borders, which will serve as the basis for bilateral withdrawal from the border.
14:18, 12 February 2024
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. On February 12-13, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan will pay a working visit to Brussels to participate in the 5th session of the Armenia-EU Partnership Council, the foreign ministry said in a press release.
Minister Mirzoyan will also have meetings with other colleagues.
The 5th meeting of the Armenia-EU Partnership Council will be held on February 13, with the participation of the Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and Josep Borrell, the Vice President of the European Commission, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The agenda of the meeting includes a wide range of issues. The implementation process of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, including the reforms implemented in Armenia and their results. The prospects of deepening the Armenia-EU partnership in various fields will also be touched upon, taking into account the current priorities and existing challenges. The security situation in the South Caucasus and regional issues will also be discussed.
Following the results of the meeting, Ararat Mirzoyan and Josep Borrell will hold a joint press conference, which will be broadcast live by the EU Council at 17:00 Yerevan time.
20:01,
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. Armenia suggests Azerbaijan accelerate the delimitation process based on the Prague agreement of October 6, 2022 and reiterates the willingness of the Republic of Armenia, reads the statement of the spokesperson of the Armenian Foreign Ministry Ani Badalyan.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan made a comment regarding the speech made by the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan during the Government session on February 15, in relation to which we would like to remind that on 6 October 2022 in Prague Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed in written form that they recognize each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty based on 1991 Alma-Ata declaration and that the Alma-Ata declaration will be the political basis for the process of demarcation.
We suggest Azerbaijan accelerate the delimitation process based on this agreement, and we reiterate the willingness of the Republic of Armenia, " Ani Badalyan said in a statement.
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan meets with NATO's Caucasus representative Javier Colomina in Brussels on Feb. 14
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Wednesday met with NATO’s Special Representative to the Caucasus Javier Colomina in Brussels and discussed further cooperation between Yerevan and the U.S.-led security bloc.
According to Armenia’s foreign ministry, Mirzoyan reiterated Armenia’s vision for overcoming existing challenges, based on well-known principles. The efforts aimed at further enhancing the Armenia-NATO partnership were touched upon.”
The two also touched on regional developments and attempts to destabilize the situation, presumably following Azerbaijan’s attack on Syunik on Tuesday, during which four Armenian soldiers were killed and another was wounded.
Last month Colomina praised Armenia’s partnership with NATO, angering Russia, which quickly said NATO and the West could not be trusted.
After Colomina’s praise of Armenia, in an interview with Armenpress late last month, Moscow warned Yerevan that its recent efforts to forge close relations with NATO and the West might not yield the desired results, saying history has shown that those seeking rapprochement with NATO risk losing their sovereignty and independence.
“We are very encouraged by the decisions that Armenia has decided to take in their foreign policy and defense policy, the shift they have decided to implement,” Colomina told Armenpress.
He also said that Armenia’s decision to become closer with NATO “is difficult to implement and will probably take a long time, but, of course, we encourage our partners to get closer to us, and that is what Armenia is doing.”
Moscow was quick to respond, underscoring that NATO and the United States are not trustworthy allies and said historically those nations that have forged alliances with them have wound up on the losing side, given that “in the last 30 to 40 years” NATO and the U.S. have not fulfilled their promises to their allied nations.