Category: News

Unconfirmed reports from Iran claim that four Revolutionary Guards members were killed in American strikes in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran.

The U.S. confirmed the strikes earlier today, saying it acted to defend its forces. 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday that it shot down a US MQ-9 drone and claimed that an RQ-4 drone and an F-35 fighter jet also entered Iranian airspace before retreating. The aircraft entered Iranian airspace over the Gulf region, the IRGC said in a statement carried by Iranian state media. The IRGC has warned that it has the right to respond proportionally to ceasefire violations.

The Alliance Party has applied to Armenia’s Central Election Commission to cancel its participation in the elections, Armenia’s Public Radio reported.

The Central Election Commission will consider the party’s request to revoke the registration of its electoral list during an open session.

Campaigning for Armenia’s parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7 began on May 8 and will continue until June 5.

A total of 19 political forces – including two alliances and 17 parties – have been registered to participate in the elections.

Armenia’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) has revoked the registration of the Alliance Party for participation in the country’s parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, 2026, pursuant to the party’s request.

Alliance Party leader Tigran Urikhanyan had earlier said that his party had asked the CEC to cancel its registration for the upcoming polls. In an interview with Public Radio, he explained that political forces with no realistic chance of passing the electoral threshold ultimately benefit the ruling party by “splitting opposition votes.” He said the party’s decision to withdraw from the race demonstrates that it is a genuine anti-establishment opposition force, willing to step aside rather than participate symbolically without a viable chance of entering parliament.

As a result of the decision, ballot paper No. 13 will no longer appear in the June 7 parliamentary elections.

A total of 19 political forces — including two alliances and 17 parties — had initially registered to participate in the elections. Following the withdrawal of the Alliance Party, the number of participating parties has dropped to 16.

The parliamentary session scheduled to begin on Tuesday morning failed to start due to a lack of quorum, with only five lawmakers registered.

Vice Speaker of Parliament Hakob Arshakyan, who was presiding over the session, said that registration would remain open for up to four hours in accordance with the rules of procedure.

The ruling Civil Contract party and the opposition Armenia Alliance are currently campaigning for the June 7 elections.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has conveyed greetings to his Georgian counterpart Irakli Kobakhidze on the occasion of the country’s national day, the Day of Restoration of State Independence.

“On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Armenia and myself, I sincerely congratulate you on Georgia’s national day, the Day of Restoration of State Independence,” Pashinyan said in a letter addressed to PM Kobakhidze, published by his office. “Further strengthening of fraternal relations with Georgia is one of the main goals of our government’s foreign policy, which already has the character of a practical and institutionalized strategic partnership. I particularly note with satisfaction the participation of the delegation led by you in the 8th Summit of the European Political Community held in Yerevan. We also highly appreciate the efforts of the Government of Georgia and your personal contribution aimed at strengthening regional cooperation. Once again, I congratulate you on the occasion of Independence Day and wish you fruitful work, as well as peace and prosperity for your country.”

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that the guarantee of Armenia’s security and peace is a strong, defense-capable military.

“Our military is needed first and foremost for peace,” Pashinyan said during a campaign event for the Civil Contract party in Hrazdan, Kotayk Province. “We are preparing for peace because we understand that a strong, defense-capable army is very important for peace. A country without a strong, defense-capable army can be an attractive target for aggression. Therefore, we must always have a strong, defense-capable army whose task should be the protection of Armenia’s internationally recognized territory. And this is the guarantee of security and peace; this is the guarantee that we will pass our state from generation to generation,” Pashinyan said.

The Armenian Defense Ministry notified the public that Air Force aircraft would conduct training flights over central Yerevan on Tuesday morning as part of preparations for the May 28 military parade.

In a statement, it also said that three salute charges were fired from cannons in downtown Yerevan as part of the preparations.

The military parade, scheduled to take place on May 28 — Republic Day — will be held at Yerevan’s Republic Square, beginning at 10:00.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Tuesday that his administration created the country’s military from scratch.

Speaking at a campaigning event for the Civil Contract party in Meghradzor, Kotayk Province, Pashinyan said that his administration inherited the “ruins” of a military from previous governments.

He said that the upcoming military parade, scheduled to take place on Republic Day, May 28, in Republic Square in central Yerevan, will showcase defense acquisitions made since 2022.

Pashinyan said the military parade will serve as a “report” to citizens.

“They have spread so many rumors that we destroyed the army. We did not destroy the army; we set aside what they called an army, which was actually a ruin, and built an army from scratch. Come to Republic Square and see that army,” the prime minister told voters.

According to him, around 90 percent of the military equipment that will be presented in the parade was acquired after 2022.

Pashinyan also noted that Armenia first received the D-30 artillery system, one of the main artillery assets of the Armenian Armed Forces, in factory-produced form in 2023, whereas in the past only second-hand systems were supplied to the country.

“We are the first users; it came straight from the factory to the Republic of Armenia,” he said.

He accused his predecessors of neglecting the military and equipping the armed forces with outdated weapons.

“Seventy percent of our army’s weapons were from the 1970s, 1960s, and 1950s,” Pashinyan stated.

According to him, after Armenia and Azerbaijan recognized each other’s territorial integrity, new opportunities have emerged for Armenia in international defense markets to acquire military equipment.

“When we recognized the territorial integrity of our neighbors, and our neighbors recognized ours, the arms market opened up for us, because it is a legitimate right to protect the security and inviolability of one’s own territory,” Pashinyan said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on Tuesday that the Armenian army will unveil its new field and ceremonial uniforms during the military parade scheduled to take place on Republic Day, May 28, in Yerevan.

Speaking at a campaign event for the Civil Contract party in Tsaghkadzor, Kotayk Province, Pashinyan said the parade would showcase Armenia’s modernizing army and growing domestic defense industry.

“Our people will be in the mood to celebrate after that military parade because they will see their new army, with new uniforms and new military equipment. Some of the military equipment on display is foreign-made, but a very important part of it has also been produced in the Republic of Armenia,” Pashinyan said.