Author: Toneyan Mark

Armenian PM Pashinyan targeted in church assault attempt, suspects detained

Toneyan Mark
JAM News
Mar 30 2026
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

All of Armenia is discussing an incident at Saint Anna Church, where on Sunday a parishioner attempted to strike Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The Investigative Committee of Armenia says three people have been detained.

Most residents and members of the expert community have condemned such behaviour towards the country’s leader. However, some argue that the PM “provoked” the incident. In particular, critics point to the fact that Pashinyan, accompanied by a group of bodyguards, entered the church while it was filled with worshippers and attempted to move toward the altar during the service.

However, the majority of social media users and analysts say such behaviour towards the country’s leader should receive an appropriate response from law enforcement authorities. Otherwise, they warn, democracy in Armenia itself could be put at risk.

Details of the incident and expert commentary follow.

  • Former ruling party MP becomes Constitutional Court judge in Armenia, NGOs warn of risks
  • ‘Opposition forces are parties of war,’ says Armenia’s parliament speaker
  • ‘Stigmatising refugees is unacceptable’: Pashinyan refers to Karabakh Armenians as ‘fleeing people’

“Don’t look at me like that”: what happened in the church

On 29 May, the Armenian Apostolic Church marked one of its most widely celebrated holidays — Palm Sunday. Nikol Pashinyan and his team, as in recent weekends, were conducting an internal party campaign in Yerevan. However, after the church service had already begun, the prime minister and those accompanying him unexpectedly entered the crowded Saint Anna Church.

Security officers cleared a path for Pashinyan as he moved toward the altar and later toward the exit, attempting to make their way through the crowd. Before launching his party campaign and weekly meetings with residents of the regions and the capital, the prime minister used to attend different churches every Sunday and would typically remain until the end of the service. This time, however, he arrived later and decided to leave early.

As Pashinyan was leaving the church, one of the parishioners became angered when security officers tried to move him aside. He said he wanted to remain where he was standing.

“Don’t look at me like that,” the young man told the prime minister before attempting to strike him.

Pashinyan remained calm and called on his bodyguards to keep calm as well.

The young man was detained. Initially, police reported that two people had been taken into custody. Later, the Investigative Committee of Armenia said that three individuals had been detained: Gevorg Gevorgyan, as well as brothers David Minasyan and Mikael Minasyan.

The committee said a criminal case had been opened under two articles: hooliganism and interference with the lawful official and political activities of a public official.

Commentaries

Political analyst Robert Ghevondyan said:

“Freedom of speech is one of the most important conditions of democracy, but it is not the only one. Equally important are the inviolability of personal space and protection from violence for one’s views. The guarantor of these principles is the state.

Therefore, if the people detained the previous day [for insulting parliamentary speaker Alen Simonyan] and those detained today for attempting violence against senior state officials are released in two or three days, this will mean that the authorities are unable to protect even their own freedom of speech and opinion from violence, let alone that of other citizens.

Consequently, if these individuals are released from responsibility on bail, surety, or by any other means, it will mean that there is no democracy in Armenia.”

Political analyst and international relations expert Sossi Tatikyan said:

“It is strange to watch how some opposition figures and even analysts or political scientists attempt to justify an attempt at physical violence against the leader of Armenia and consider the arrest of the instigator a violation of democracy.

Moreover, this is being done by representatives of political forces that initiated a culture of violence in Armenia.

Do you know how any democratic country would respond to such an act against the head of state?

We are not talking about throwing a tomato — something that has happened more than once in democratic countries and could be classified as a form of protest or hooliganism — but about a real attempt at violence. Not to mention what would happen in a non-democratic country.

At the same time, I have noticed that some of the prime minister’s fiercest critics have condemned the attempt at violence against him, which is commendable.”

Political analyst Hakob Badalyan said:

“Entering a crowded church accompanied by bodyguards… Why? To show that you are a believer? Or simply for publicity? If you have entered a church, why not remain near the entrance rather than trying to move toward the altar in a packed church accompanied by bodyguards and others, creating inconvenience and effectively disrupting the service?

In essence, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today made what could be described as a ‘provocative visit’ to Saint Anna Church, where a service marking Palm Sunday was taking place.

Simple logic suggests that if the prime minister’s aim in coming to the church had been to attend the service, he could have entered and quietly stood near the entrance without drawing unnecessary attention or causing inconvenience to those gathered.

Instead, he entered the church and moved forward with a large group. The bodyguards, of course, were doing their job — they had to ensure as much distance as possible between Pashinyan and the people around him. That is their function and a strict professional protocol. Precisely for that reason, the prime minister should have refrained from taking this step.

That is why his action is difficult to assess as anything other than provocative. And the provocation occurred: a young man attending the service could not hold back, spoke out, and the incident followed.”

—

Verelq: From blockade to transit. Will power exports change Hara?

Toneyan Mark
Photo: sputnik

Recently, in the center of attention of the expert community and political circles, the prospect of uniting Armenia’s electricity grids with the neighboring countries, Turkey and Azerbaijan, is being actively discussed. Against the background of the changing geopolitical realities in the South Caucasus, politicians are increasingly talking about energy cooperation. About how realistic such projects are from an engineering point of view, what benefits and challenges they promise to Armenia’s economy due to the rapid growth of solar generation, what prevents their immediate implementation, and how regional tensions around Iran can affect Armenia’s energy security. VERELQ an expert in the field of energy told in an interview to the periodical Ara Marjanyan։



Ara Marjanyan is in the photo, the source is Sputnik


VERELQ: Mr. Marjanyan, statements about the possible connection of Armenia’s power grids with Turkey and Azerbaijan have been actively discussed for several weeks now. How realistic and forward-looking is this direction?


Ara Marjanyan. From a technical point of view, the restoration of parallel work with Azerbaijan’s electric power system does not present a particularly great difficulty. For decades, our energy systems have operated in parallel mode. This will require the restoration of overhead high-voltage lines and some upgrading of substations in both countries. This is about the technical side of the matter.


From an economic point of view, the unification of the parallel work of the electricity systems of Armenia and Azerbaijan seems extremely beneficial for our country, because Armenia has a significant potential for electricity export. In addition, the geography is such that Armenia can provide electricity transit from Nakhichevan to Azerbaijan or supply there directly from its own balances.


From the geopolitical point of view, in the changed current situation, the signing of last year’s bilateral and trilateral memorandums creates quite favorable conditions for the implementation of such projects. However, it is necessary to raise the main condition and concern of Armenia. the development of all these initiatives should not hinder, but, on the contrary, should contribute to the development of energy cooperation between Armenia and Iran.


VERELQ: Between our two countries, there is an agreement on the supply of gas for electricity under the barter scheme.


Ara Marjanyan. Absolutely true. And I think that the commissioning of the third 400 kilovolt high-voltage line should remain in the focus of attention of both Armenia and Iran. It will have additional and complementary significance both for the creation of the possibility of parallel work of the power systems of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as for the implementation of the complex project of de-blocking Armenia and the launch of relevant transit projects.


VERELQ: And what about Turkey? How realistic is cooperation in this direction?


Ara Marjanyan. The connection of Armenian and Turkish networks is quite realistic. Let me remind you that during the Soviet years, there was a high-voltage power transmission line from Gyumri in Armenia (then called Leninakan) to Kars in Turkey, through which mutual flows of electricity were carried out. In 2009, Armenia offered Turkey to restore the operation of that line. However, at that time, the region was in the geopolitical logic of encircling Armenia and suffocating its economy, so Turkey refused to implement that project.


Instead, they built a Turkey-Georgia-Azerbaijan power bridge. Turkey expected significant supplies of electricity from Azerbaijan and Georgia. But, as we noted back then, these were completely unreasonable expectations. Neither Azerbaijan, nor Georgia, neither at that time, nor today, nor in the near future, significant volumes of electricity are planned for export to Turkey.


The new geopolitical situation created in our region since August 2025 suggests that the energy cooperation between Armenia and Turkey can be revived. Such a partnership will serve the interests of both countries. First, it will allow Armenia to export both its base-load electricity, which is produced by gas and nuclear plants, as well as two hydrocascades, as well as energy from solar photovoltaic plants. And isn’t it the case that the development of solar generation in Armenia has experienced an unprecedented, rapid growth? we now have more than 1,000 MW of photovoltaic capacity installed, which is roughly three times the capacity of an operating nuclear power plant unit.


The possibility of exporting solar electricity to Turkey or, in the more distant future, to Europe (for example, through the Black Sea submarine cable or other projects) will allow Armenia to relieve the difficult situation created in the country due to the overproduction of solar energy. This opens the door to export clean and fairly cheap electricity outside the country’s borders.


VERELQ: Mr. Marjanyan, from a technical point of view, as you say, all this is feasible. But if it is so beneficial, why hasn’t the process started yet? Why are Turkey and Azerbaijan still blocking it?


Ara Marjanyan. This is where we go beyond engineering. The point is that in many cases the interests of politics, especially regional ones, contradict common sense and obvious mutually beneficial solutions based on certain psychological, historical and geopolitical considerations. Of course, all these factors are present, but I think the situation is different today. There is now an opportunity to pursue obvious and mutually beneficial solutions rather than outdated and entrenched political patterns.


VERELQ: It is clear. And a question about Iran. Given Trump’s threats to target Iran’s energy capabilities (in this case, substations), and considering our close cooperation (isn’t Iran effectively acting as the frequency regulator of Armenia’s power grids), would this worst-case scenario pose threats to Armenian energy?


Ara Marjanyan. First of all, let me begin by extending my support to the heroic Iranian people who are going through extremely difficult times right now. I believe that they will successfully overcome these trials.


As for the negative development of events and the possible threats to the Armenian electric power system in the event of strikes on Iran’s electric power facilities, it will certainly lead to certain losses for our energy. However, this will not undermine its stable operation and will not call into question Armenia’s ability to take care of its own needs.


In the worst case, the commissioning of the third high-voltage line, which was planned for this year, will be delayed for a longer time. It is possible that the infrastructure of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will be affected, which will lead to the temporary suspension of works under the “gas for electricity” barter agreement. However, even in such an extreme adverse scenario, the blow to Armenia’s electricity supply will be insignificant and our energy system will maintain its stability.

—

Preparations for Yerevan 2027 La Francophonie Games in full swing

Toneyan Mark
Sports14:54, 27 March 2026
Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

Preparations for the 2027 La Francophonie Games (Jeux de la Francophonie), to be hosted in Armenia, are in full swing, Vivien Lubczanski, Director of the International Committee of the La Francophonie Games, said at a press briefing in Yerevan.

The official logo of the Games was unveiled at the event.

“I welcome the Armenian authorities’ commitment to preparing for the 10th International Francophonie Sports and Cultural Games. The presentation of the official Games logo is an important milestone, marking a new phase in the preparations. At this time, many countries and governments have already confirmed their participation in the Games, which reflects the trust in Armenia’s ability to host this important sporting event. For the International Organization of La Francophonie, the Games hold special significance—they are more than just a sporting and cultural event,” Lubczanski said.

He added that preparations are continuing in an atmosphere of mutual trust, with no obstacles.

“I assure you that we stand alongside Armenia to support the successful hosting of these Games. The Francophonie Games provide a platform for solidarity among Francophone youth, and I expect that all participating countries will discover Armenia in this light,” he emphasized.

The Games, a combination of artistic and sporting events, will be held in Armenia from July 23 to August 1, 2027. The opening ceremony will take place in Yerevan’s central plaza.

The official logo, presented on March 27, represents a harmonious fusion of cultural and artistic elements, based on the traditional Armenian symbol of eternity as a sign of continuity and endurance, as well as the circular motion of the Kochari dance, which embodies unity and strength. These foundations are reinterpreted through the influence of contemporary art, transforming human movement into a universal rhythm. The logo expresses energy, connection, and play, reflecting the essence of the Games as a continuous celebration of culture, sport, and participation.

Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

Published by Armenpress, original at 
—

Pashinyan claims Nagorno-Karabakh did not fight back against Azerbaijan in Sep

Toneyan Mark
OC Media
Mar 27 2026

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has claimed that the Nagorno-Karabakh Army did not fight back against Azerbaijan during the one-day lightning offensive in September 2023 that ended with the region’s capitulation. Citing intelligence data, Pashinyan said the notion that they ‘fought to the end’ was a ‘myth’.

The statement was made on Thursday during his weekly press briefing.

This claim comes despite Pashinyan’s government officially confirming that as a result of one-day war, 223 people were killed, including 25 were civilians, while 244 were wounded. In turn, Azerbaijan reported 205 casualties, while the number of injured was over 511.

The outcomes of the war were later analysed in a meeting of the Armenian Security Council, according to Pashinyan.

‘Without being able to disclose much, I want to note that claims about fighting and so on are, to put it mildly, not consistent with reality, because according to data available to our intelligence, and not only intelligence, the vast majority of the available weapons and ammunition, perhaps 80% or even 90%, remained untouched’, Pashinyan said.

He expressed willingness to declassify the data ‘if necessary’ and ‘at the right moment’, and further accused the Nagorno-Karabakh ‘elite’ of having ‘ran away, slipped away’.

He stressed that his assessment did not apply to the people.

This clarification came days after Pashinyan had faced backlash after calling Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians ‘runaways’ during an argument with a refugee from the region on Sunday. After initially denying that he had used the insult, he later apologised the same evening.

The last bus out of Nagorno-Karabakh

Pashinyan’s controversial claims were widely criticised, with many emphasising the confirmed casualties and to the fact that the Armenian Armed Forces had enlisted the last commander of the Nagorno-Karabakh Army, Kamo Vardanyan.

Opposition MP Tigran Abrahamyan from the I Have Honour faction was among those pointing out the appointment.

Abrahamyan offered two possible explanations: he suggested that Pashinyan was either ‘lying’ in an effort to ‘manipulate through disinformation’ or that he found the appointment of ‘people he himself considers to be “runaways” ’ to serve in the army to be ‘beneficial’.

Constitution and military parade

During Thursday’s press briefing, Pashinyan also stated that if the new Armenian Constitution would not pass the referendum intended for this year, ‘we will hold another referendum’.

‘We will go to our people, we will convince them, we will explain — we have no problem with that. I am convinced that whatever we speak about honestly and fairly with our people, our people will understand. We are not imperial representatives whom the people cannot understand. We are representatives of our people’, Pashinyan said.

Armenia intends to hold a referendum on a new constitution after the 2026 parliamentary elections, set to be held on 7 June. Although Armenian authorities have officially expressed their intention to change the constitution, they insist that they were not not doing so based on Azerbaijan’s demands.

Azerbaijani officials, including President Ilham Aliyev, have repeatedly stated that Armenia’s constitution contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan and demanded that it be changed, which remains the sticking points holding up the signing of the peace treaty initialled in Washington in August 2025.

Armenia’s constitution references the Declaration of Independence, which in turn says it is ‘based’ on a joint decision made by Soviet Armenia’s Supreme Council and the Nagorno-Karabakh National Council on the ‘reunification’ of the two territories.

Pashinyan has repeatedly stated that the new constitution should not contain a reference to the Declaration of Independence, suggesting that the latter is built on a ‘logic of conflict’.

The Armenian government also intends to showcase the military equipment acquired over the past few years during a 28 May Republic Day event in Yerevan.

Pashinyan had earlier announced plans to publicly present a list of weapons acquired under his tenure after 2022, citing high public interest.

On Thursday, he stressed that the event aimed at being a ‘more of a report’ to Armenian society. He added that work was ongoing with the international community, ‘including the countries of the region, so that they do not interpret it in any way as a rejection of the peace agenda’.

‘I believe that the display of this military equipment will be an impressive sight for the citizens of Armenia’, Pashinyan said.

For ease of reading, we choose not to use qualifiers such as ‘de facto’, ‘unrecognised’, or ‘partially recognised’ when discussing institutions or political positions within Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia. This does not imply a position on their status.

https://oc-media.org/pashinyan-claims-nagorno-karabakh-did-not-fight-back-against-azerbaijan-in-september-2023/

—

“If you stayed until the last Artsakh citizen was killed, would you feel good?” “They ran away, they didn’t fight.”

Toneyan Mark

March: 26, 2026

During a briefing with Nikol Pashinyan after the government session, journalists asked him a question about the Azerbaijani military operations aimed at the depopulation of Artsakh on September 19-20, 2023, and whether the people of Artsakh would fight or not.

“After the events of 2023, there was a meeting of the RA Security Council, where the results of the combat operations that took place were analyzed. I, not being able to reveal much, want to record that the claims about fighting and so on are, to put it mildly, untrue, because according to the data of our intelligence and not only intelligence, the lion’s share of the available weapons and ammunition, it could be 80 percent, it could be … percent, remained untouched. Before that, we had created an opportunity for a political process to take place, and some representatives of the ruling circle of Karabakh not only prevented it, but also implemented it. change of power in Karabakh, RA NA congratulated each other. And just a week after those congratulations, the events that happened happened. I warned the representatives of Karabakh at that time, I said: if you leave, know that there will be no chance to return.”

In this context, Pashinyan did not agree with the claims that Azerbaijan carried out genocidal acts in Artsakh.

“It is enough to feed our people with information about the new genocide. And, in general, the race of these genocides should be stopped. In our region, everyone accuses everyone else of genocides. With talk about genocides, by the way, it is hard to say which one happened after, we get talk about genocides, with talk about return we get talk about return.

Read also

  • AUTHORITY: ON THE STREET. DEADLINE: JUNE 7
  • IF THE HEAD OF THE STATE SAYS “I WILL NOT BE THERE, THERE WILL BE A WAR, THAT MEANS THE STATE DOES NOT EXIST.” DO NOT BE DECEIVED, THIS GOVERNMENT IS NOT PRO-WESTERN. KAREN BEKARYAN
  • Pashinyan’s statement about the war is a bluff. Azerbaijan will be involved in the conflict between Iran and Israel. Khosrov Harutyunyan

And those myths: they fought to the end, etc., by the way, if necessary, we will declassify those data. I am sure, this dough will carry a lot of water, we will wait for it to do well, to publish the documents of the Nagorno Karabakh negotiation process at the right time, it is a lie, nothing like that happened, they ran away, they looted,” he insisted.

Details in the video




—

RFE/RL – Bypassing The Kremlin: Armenia And Azerbaijan Expand Trade, Testing R

Toneyan Mark
  • By Ulviyya Asadzade
March 24, 2026 11:37 CET
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian (left) and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (combo photo)

Longtime rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan are increasing trade in ways that analysts say could support peace-building, ease Armenia’s longstanding blockade, and gradually weaken Russia’s role in the region as Moscow remains preoccupied with its war in Ukraine.

Azerbaijan has begun exporting energy products to Yerevan and is serving as a transit route for wheat from Kazakhstan and Russia.

Armenian officials, meanwhile, say they are finalizing a list of industrial and agricultural goods for export to Azerbaijan.

“I agree that Armenia and Azerbaijan are acting in a way that reduces Moscow’s influence in the Caucasus, though I don’t know to what extent the Russia factor is driving their calculations,” Joshua Kucera, a senior analyst for the South Caucasus at International Crisis Group, told RFE/RL.

“I suspect it is a secondary consideration: Their first priority is to resolve their conflict, and their relations with Russia or any other power is secondary to that.” he added.

The neighboring countries were at war for more than three decades over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of Azerbaijan that was mostly populated by ethnic Armenians. Momentum toward normalization followed Azerbaijan’s recapture of Karabakh in 2023 and a Washington peace summit in August 2025 that helped break the deadlock.

For decades, Armenia has faced a partial blockade, with borders closed by Azerbaijan and its ally Turkey. With Iran constrained by international sanctions, Armenia has relied heavily on Georgia as its main transit corridor — particularly for trade with Russia, its largest trading partner and supplier of essential goods.

SEE ALSO:

Armenia Imports Azerbaijani Gasoline, Seen As Move To Reduce Dependence On Russia

But both Baku and Yerevan have seen ties with Moscow deteriorate.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has frozen his country’s participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Moscow-led alliance, further distancing the country from Russia’s security umbrella. And Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sharply criticized Moscow over the downing of an Azerbaijani airliner in late 2024.

Both leaders have also backed the US-supported Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a corridor signed in Washington last August aimed at connecting Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave while reducing the logistical and political influence of both Russia and Iran.

Against this backdrop, new trade flows between Armenia and Azerbaijan are beginning to take shape.

Oil And Gas: From And Through Azerbaijan

Currently, goods from Azerbaijan to Armenia transit through Georgia. However, Richard Giragosian, founding director of the Regional Studies Center in Yerevan, does not rule out the possibility of direct trade opening up across the Azerbaijan-Armenia border.

“What we see with the recent arrival of Azerbaijani civil society activists through a border crossing point in the northern Tavush region, we should expect the opening of road access,” Giragosian said.

For this to take place, however, “We need to have concluded the delimitation and demarcation of this passage,” Farhad Mammadov, director at the Center for Studies of the South Caucasus, a pro-government think tank in Baku, told RFE/RL.

Despite a sharp decline in trade with Russia, Moscow still accounted for 35.5 percent of Armenia’s foreign trade last year, according to Armenian government statistics, followed by China (12.5 percent) and the European Union (11.8 percent).

SEE ALSO:

US Steps Up South Caucasus Push As Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Hangs In Balance

Azerbaijan sent its first trains of 22 wagons loaded with gasoline to Armenia last December. In-mid January, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian stated on social media that “premium-grade gasoline has mainly been imported from Azerbaijan, and…the minimum price of premium gasoline in Armenia has decreased by 15 percent.”

Armenia imported 490,000 tons of petrol and other fuel last year, about two-thirds of which came from Russia.

“Any amount of petroleum products, gas supplies from Azerbaijan, etc., represents progress in terms of offsetting Russia’s dominance of the market,” Giragosian in Yerevan told RFE/RL.

“Armenia may consider gas imports from Turkmenistan through Azerbaijan. At the same time, there is also a more ambitious plan for Armenia’s import of Azerbaijani natural gas, as well,” he added.

“If Azerbaijan has enough gas to give Armenia and Armenia and Turkmenistan agrees how to deliver Turkmenistan gas to Azerbaijan, these can be possible too,” Mammadov told RFE/RL from Baku.

Azerbaijan has broadly agreed to take on a transit role for Armenia since last year and is already serving as a transit route for wheat from Kazakhstan and Russia. According to Azerbaijani official statistics, Russia has so far sent about 23,000 tons of wheat and about 700 tons of fertilizer to Armenia through Azerbaijan.

However, the peace remains fragile without a final treaty in place. Baku still demands Armenia amend its constitution to remove perceived territorial claims over Karabakh.

Emily Babakanian Frazier, a research fellow at the Regional Studies Center, told RFE/RL last year that while immediate supply cuts are unlikely, Armenia remains vulnerable to Azerbaijan cutting energy links in the medium to long term.

Giragosian argues that Russia found itself marginalized with the end of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, during which Moscow had wielded primary leverage over both nations. However, he warns, this shift is temporary.

“I expect an angry, vengeful Putin to try to regain lost Russian influence after a cease-fire in Ukraine. Armenia and Azerbaijan are drawing closer because of this shared threat,” he added.

  • Ulviyya Asadzade

    Ulviyya Asadzade works as a journalist in RFE/RL’s Central Newsroom. Prior to this role, she spent nearly two decades with RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service, where she reported extensively on corruption, human rights, and the geopolitics of the South Caucasus, Russia, Turkey, and Iran. In addition to her work with RFE/RL, Asadzade has contributed to Eurasianet.org, The Bulletin, and Caucasus Edition, covering regional politics and cross-border issues.



https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-azerbaijan-trade-russia/33713709.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawQwTvZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe8oijvwQmDW51lOXZq5AF-XkwM2DDXJx16vcFVmRQsESvQrDlt2Z779vBcn8_aem_agAVSfN7QIcCKSLdT4wjjA

—

Verelq: Iranian lessons for Armenia

Toneyan Mark

What is the point of following the ongoing war in Iran if no consequences will be drawn from it?


And it is possible to learn very useful lessons from the Iranian cases, if we follow the events not as a simple news, but pay attention to the strategic course of what is happening.


From that point of view, at least three conclusions can be clearly marked at this moment, which are very relevant for us, also in the context of the campaign of defeat unfolding among us right now.


1️⃣ FIRST CLASS
In war, not everything is determined by material advantage. The US and Israel openly and many times exceed Iran in their military and technical capabilities, which ensures the latter’s tactical success. However, tactical successes do not necessarily imply strategic victory. The US-Israeli military operation, which was most likely intended to be completed in a few days (similar to the first version of the Russian СВО), has been going on for more than three weeks without a clear winning strategy. Competent Iranian resistance (see the next point), as well as a strategic approach to the outcome of the war, allow Tehran to compensate for the military-technical imbalance and, despite the many losses suffered, not only to continue the resistance, but also to gradually dictate the new course of the war imposed on it.


2nd CLASS
At the core of the Iranian resistance lies a clear strategic approach, which has not changed significantly, despite the many losses of the military-political elite in recent weeks. That resistance is based, among other things, on an asymmetric (non-proportional) operational concept, which involves inflicting maximum damage on the enemy by clearly targeting and using available resources.


A vivid example of this can be seen these days in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States, which has the world’s most powerful navy, and its allies are being dealt the greatest strategic damage by cheap Iranian drones, fast motorboats, naval bombs and short-range missiles, which are dictating the new rules of the game in the Strait of Hormuz. It is enough to disrupt the world economy and give Iran the most powerful negotiating tool, which even led to the partial lifting of US sanctions on Iranian oil.


The concept of disproportionality has other manifestations as well (eg, hitting US allies, effectively increasing the scope of the conflict and thus the cost of continuing the war). In other words, Iran does not play the game imposed on it (in which it would lose), but gradually imposes its own game on others. And at the base of this new game lies an absolute advantage, which is often overlooked by many. It is ignored, but not in Iran, which is the third class.


3️⃣-TH LESSON
When Napoleon tried to quickly conquer Russia in the early 19th century, he took many things into account, except for one thing: the weather. After the defeat of Napoleon and other Western armies on Russian soil, it is often said about “General Cold” (General Moroz) (referring to the extremely cold winter of the Russian world and the impossibility of fighting in them), which as an invisible force helped the Russian side to win.

If we apply this artistic analogy to Iran, we can say that Iran has its shoulderless general. it is “General Geography”. The Iranian strategy is based on the full understanding of the geography of that state and its wise use. Figuratively speaking, the Strait of Hormuz and the Arab countries are in Iran’s backyard, so it is possible to put pressure on them, even having a “slingshot” (ragatka) – minimal tools (weapons) in one’s own arsenal. This calculation is the basis of the Iranian strategy. even if all of Iran’s long-range missiles are gone, there is still a small boat that will create world-class problems in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing everyone to consider the Iranian factor.


Turkologist Varuzhan Geghamyan




—

Defense Ministry reports progress on arsenal modernization in 2025

Toneyan Mark

Military14:10, 20 March 2026
Read the article in: فارسیՀայերենRussian中文

Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan reaffirmed to lawmakers on Friday that the military continued its arsenal modernization efforts throughout 2025.

He made the comments at a parliamentary committee hearing on the Defense Ministry’s 2025 performance report under the 2021–2026 government program.

“Thanks to the contracts signed as part of the diversification of military-technical cooperation, work toward the modernization of weapons and military equipment, as well as the acquisition of new models, continued throughout 2025,” Papikyan said.

He added that in 2025, exhibitions of the acquired and domestically produced weapons and military equipment were organized for the public in Armenia.

Read the article in: فارسیՀայերենRussian中文

Published by Armenpress, original at 
—

Armenian, Omani foreign ministers discuss cooperation prospects

Toneyan Mark

Armenia18:40, 17 March 2026
Read the article in: العربيةEspañolفارسیFrançaisՀայերենRussianTürkçe

On March 17, within the framework of the official visit to Oman, in Muscat, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan had a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a readout.

The interlocutors discussed a wide range of issues on the development of cooperation between Armenia and Oman.

The Foreign Minister of Oman highly appreciated the decision of the Foreign Minister of Armenia to visit Muscat despite the current complex regional situation, describing the visit as historic. Ararat Mirzoyan expressed his gratitude for the organization of the visit and, in particular, for the readiness and support shown in opening the resident Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, emphasizing that the visit reflects Armenia’s strong interest in developing multifaceted relations with Oman and the countries of the region at large.

Both sides emphasized that Armenia’s decision to open a resident embassy in Oman constitutes an important milestone on the path toward further deepening bilateral relations.

With a view to enriching the bilateral agenda and fully realizing the existing potential between Armenia and Oman, Ararat Mirzoyan and Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi discussed prospects for expanding cooperation in a number of areas of mutual interest. In this context, they exchanged views on the expansion of the legal framework and the implementation of concrete initiatives in the fields of economy, trade, education, and culture. In terms of promoting people-to-people contacts, the importance of the decision of visa waver, as well as the launch of regular direct flights, was emphasized.

During the meeting, Minister Mirzoyan expressed appreciation for the effective cooperation in organizing eight direct MuskatYerevan flights organized since February 28, through which around 550 citizens of the Republic of Armenia have returned home.

Ararat Mirzoyan and Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East, highlighting the importance of prioritizing diplomacy in efforts toward its settlement, and expressing concern over strikes on civilian infrastructure and the resulting casualties.

Emphasizing the importance of peace, Minister Mirzoyan briefed his counterpart on the steps aimed at further institutionalizing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Minister Mirzoyan made an entry in the book of honorary guests of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman: “It was my absolute honour and privilege to be the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia to visit  the Sultanate of Oman, country which is the true believer of diplomacy and advocate of peace.”

Read the article in: العربيةEspañolفارسیFrançaisՀայերենRussianTürkçe

Published by Armenpress, original at 
—

It will be beneficial for Turkey if the USA and Israel solve the Iran issues. that case

Toneyan Mark

March: 17, 2026

The military operations launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28 continue, and there is no move to stop the military operations.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a conversation with the French President said that Iran did not start this war, and they have no intention of conceding, statements with almost the same content are also being made by the United States and Israel.

E:Associate Professor of the Chair of International Relations and Diplomacy, international scientist Nubar Chalymyan speaking about the possible developments of the Iran-Israel-United States war, the possible role of various countries, including Turkey, he noted that before this war in the Middle East began, the 2 countries, or 2 1 countries, the United States and Israel, on the one hand, and Iran, on the other hand, did not make such correct calculations before entering into the conflict.

“I mean, they did not calculate the issue of extending or deepening the war. First of all, I think that the United States did not imagine that the military operations would last so long. Israel also did not imagine that the Iranian side could show such resistance to the US-Israeli missile strikes. Iran also did not imagine that 2 militarily powerful states would bring Iran to Iran within 2 weeks. We still don’t know many details about the devastation, but still, Iran suffered a lot and is suffering every day.”– 168.amNubar Chalemyan said in a conversation with

Read also

  • Middle East. Will Arab alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz be in demand?
  • THERE IS AN UNSHOWABLE IDEA: IRAN WILL NOT SELL ITS INDEPENDENCE TO ANY POWER. IT IS STOPPED WITH ALL ITS POWER. KHALIL SHIRGHOLAMI, AMBASSADOR OF IRAN TO RA
  • A corn gnawer on a gunpowder keg

Regarding Turkey’s position in this situation, Nubar Chalymyan said, Turkey took more cunning steps, showing that it will never be included in the conflict. The military operations taking place in neighboring Iran are not beneficial for Turkey. In this context, we should not forget the ups and downs and contradictions of the relations between Turkey and Israel, which is developing more and more.

“It is never in Turkey’s interest that, on the one hand, Iran is bombing American military bases in the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, be it Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, or the United Arab Emirates. In general, it is not in Turkey’s interest for the war in the region to take on a larger scale, and it is also not in its interest for the final defeat of Iran. On the other hand, it will be beneficial for Turkey if the United States and Israel finally resolve the issues of Iran, change the regime that both countries are striving for, then Turkey will become a major player in the region, so to speak, watching the “zone”, our interlocutor noted.

Continuing, the international expert noted that today the United States does not talk as much about changing the Islamic regime in Iran as Israel, as they say, Israel has grasped the root of the issue. The most important thing for Israel is to change the regime in Iran, because it understands that if the regime remains, even a little softer, it will still be considered an enemy state for Iran.

“The wrongness of the calculations of the United States was shown when they said that they could solve the issue very quickly.

The United States is gradually trying to drag Europe into the war, because we hear Trump’s sharp speech that Europe should help him so that these oil pipelines pass through the Strait of Hormuz unhindered, etc. Not all European countries are inclined to follow Trump’s speech. Now, on the one hand, the United States is stuck in this quagmire, but on the other hand, Israel is intensifying its rocket attacks to destroy Iranian cities, etc.

As they say, Iran should stay here with its “solution”, because it has thrown down the gauntlet to Israel and the United States, and the US president does not want to negotiate with Iran, he says that he will go to the end, that is, he will destroy Iran to the end. Trump’s goal is to change the regime in Iran not with the intervention of external forces, but with internal forces, which we still do not see,” stressed Nubar Chalymyan.

As for Armenia and the question of what dangers may threaten Armenia if the military operations in Iran continue, Nubar Chalymyan answered that Armenia has adopted the right policy during this period: a policy of “positive neutrality”, not a passive policy.

“The Republic of Armenia sent a condolence telegram on the occasion of the assassination of the spiritual leader of Iran, our representative made a note in the mourning book at the embassy, ​​that is, he is not in the status of a passive observer.

Our goal is not which regime we will sympathize with in Iran, we need Armenia to have neighborly relations with the people of Iran, this is the most important thing. We should not associate our politics with individuals and regimes, we should promote our friendship with the people. We should not allow a wedge to be driven between Armenians and Iranians, today we can go out to the outside world through Iran,” emphasized Nubar Chalymyan.

—