August 13, 2026
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev visited the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan on August 11, and in the context of that visit interview gave to the Azerbaijani TV station.
The geopolitical background of Baku’s military operations in the 44-day war
Aliyev, in fact, confirmed our in analyses and expert in interviews the claims made regarding Nakhichevan’s strategic and geopolitical significance and possible security against and around Armenia risks with the fact that the autonomous republic will become a great base for strengthening the Turkish-Azerbaijani military, energy and logistics ring around Armenia, etc. And a number of decisions related to Nakhichevan served as the basis for these claims, they are:
■ In the fall of 2025, it became known that legal and natural persons with the status of residents of the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan in 2026. for 10 years from January 1, almost all taxes can be exempted, which implies a number of changes in the Tax Code, and that the exemption will be extended to key industrial directions, an attempt will be made to improve the investment environment, increase the volume of investments.
■ Amendments to the constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan, which essentially was limited The autonomy of Nakhichevan. In particular, references to the Moscow and Kars treaties were removed from the preamble of the Nakhichevan constitution. Instead, the preamble of the constitution emphasized that “Nakhijevan is an integral part of the Republic of Azerbaijan”.
■ The plenipotentiary representation of the President of Azerbaijan in the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan, by Aliyev’s decision, received the status of a state body of the 1st class:
■ Azeri sources months ago had reported that works are underway to connect the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan to the main energy system of Azerbaijan and to form the Azerbaijan-Turkey-Europe energy corridor.
In this context, it was informed that a high-voltage transmission line with a voltage of 330 kilovolts and a capacity of 1000 megawatts is being built, starting from “Jrakan (Jabrayil)”, and that in the next phase of the project, an additional 44 km long transmission line will be built, which will cross the “Zangezur Corridor”. In 2025, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Turkey Rashad Mamedov announced. “There is an opportunity to build a gas pipeline from Zangezur to Nakhichevan. Thanks to this, it becomes possible to lay a pipeline from Nakhijevan to Kars, which will open new perspectives.”
What statements Aliyev made on the topics mentioned in his interview, which we considered remarkable, are presented below:
■ For one reason or another there is an energy crisis in our region, and this crisis may be exacerbated by ongoing wars, increasing risks, disruptions in transportation chains related to the transportation of energy carriers, and other factors. It cannot be ruled out that new unpleasant events may happen in the future. Therefore, the special role of Azerbaijan in this regard is undeniable we must ensure uninterrupted and stable energy supply of Nakhijevan.
For this purpose, on my initiative, we signed a gas exchange agreement with Iran. Within its framework, a gas pipeline was built from Iran to Azerbaijan, and the transportation of gas from the Astara region of Azerbaijan to the territory of Iran was ensured. In other words, we secured 100 percent gas supply of Nakhichevan through a swap deal.
■ When we put forward the idea of ”Zangezur Corridor”, we first of all had in mind the transport sector. But today we consider it in a wider context. For example: Our project of laying power transmission lines from the main part of Azerbaijan through the territory of Armenia to Nakhichevan is ready. A very large substation was built in the Jabrayil region specifically for the Zangezur energy corridor.
In other words, Aliyev makes it clear that during the 44-day war, their military operations were based on much broader geopolitical and geo-economic plans, and this does not only apply to Jrakan, but also to Kovsaka and other areas.
In this context, he reminded about the tripartite declaration of November 9-10, 2020 and its preparation stage, where they set a condition: the tripartite declaration should include a clause on connecting the main part of Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan, to which the Armenian side did not agree at first, but in the end it had no choice but to disagree. More about this declassification Aliyev did it back in 2024.
In his interview, Aliyev also emphasized that the “Zangezur Corridor” project was implemented thanks to the USA. In other words, Russia, a party to the tripartite declaration, could not force Armenia to fulfill its obligations in this regard by August 2025, or, according to Aliyev, there were other reasons for this.
Strengthening the military potential of Nakhichevan will not cease to be the priority of Aliyev, who is going for peace
On various occasions, the President of Azerbaijan has made it clear that there cannot be economic and energy security without a powerful army. Therefore, in his interview in Nakhijevan, he did not ignore the role and importance of the separate unified army of Nakhijevan, which exists “under the nose” of Armenia, on which Turkish influence and control has always been very strong.
“It is known that by my order, the Separate All-Army Army was created in Nakhichevan, which, of course, is an inseparable part of the armed forces of Azerbaijan. However, the special circumstances of Nakhichevan, its geographical location and the lack of geographical connection with Azerbaijan have forced us to pay more attention to the security of this region, an autonomous republic, and it will always be so. That is why it is a priority condition.
As I mentioned, The armed forces of Azerbaijan play a crucial role in the region, and the military potential in Nakhichevan is being strengthened day by day and will continue to be strengthened from now on. In these years Strengthening the defense potential of Nakhichevan was one of the main priorities. The military strength of Nakhichevan was demonstrated both through the supply of equipment, particularly modern equipment, and through the creation of new special purpose units. Recently, we have noticed this trend in the armed forces of Azerbaijan as well,” Aliyev stressed.
Let’s add that the separate joint army of Nakhichevan was formed in 2013. in December, in fact, the tasks were completed in 2014. In the same 2014 in the summer, in June, the Armenian army in the Nakhijevan region made serious improvements in position and occupied dominant positions in a significant part of the border with a skillful maneuver.
At that time, according to various reports, the RA came under the control of several tens of square kilometers, which until then had not been controlled due to the difficult relief and climatic conditions.
The Razminfo specialized website had photos almost immediately publish from the specified location.
Later, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan visited the new positions of the Nakhichevan border and gave instructions on the creation of the communication infrastructure of the new defense lines. All this was also received by the third president of RA confirmation.
By the way, on the same days, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan issued a message in which it was asserted: “The separate all-power army is in full control of the operational situation in Nakhichevan.” Later, in one of the interviews, the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, Zakir Hasanov, denied the message of his own department, accepting the fact of serious positional improvements made by the Armenian side, just in softer tones.
“After the creation of a separate unified army in Nakhijevan, Armenians established one or two positions in their own territory. B:You won’t solve the problem with one or two combat positions, right?” to say was he
2018 After the change of power in RA in April-May, the Azerbaijani side already secured some progress in the Nakhijevan wing, but, globally, the Armenian side in the Nakhijevan wing is still in a fairly good position, but the situation may change dramatically if Pashinyan decides to withdraw troops from Yeraskh, which he talked about years ago. And this is in the context of the 44-day war we have seen The significance and influence of Nakhichevan and the local military potential.
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The EU pointed to judicial independence, pretrial detention and dissent in RA
August 13, 2026
EU publishes “2025 human rights and democracy in the world” the report։
In 2025, Armenia continued to advance its justice reform agenda and strengthen the respect, protection and implementation of human rights. However, the authorities face some criticism from civil society about the consistency and progress of the reforms. Civil society organizations also highlighted ineffective investigations into police abuses, particularly excessive use of force, lack of judicial independence, and the use of pretrial detention in criminal trials.
Armenian civil society remains one of the most vibrant in the region. Despite the polarized environment, media pluralism persists. However, disinformation, foreign interference and hybrid threats have increased ahead of the June 2026 general election.
Authorities have continued efforts to support the integration of more than 100,000 Artsakh Armenians. In 2025, the rent and utility support program was replaced by targeted assistance measures, although pressures on housing, employment and social services continued. The adoption of the 2025-2028 Gender Policy Implementation Strategy and Action Plan was a positive development, and the law on gender-based violence is already in place, but its implementation needs to be improved.
“Civil society continues to challenge the government’s disability assessment algorithm. There is still no progress in the adoption of comprehensive anti-discrimination and minority legislation.
Concerns remain about the transparency of judicial appointments and the effective implementation of integrity mechanisms. The government has also announced its intention to create an autonomous data protection agency. The opposition and some civil society have raised accusations that the criminal justice system has been instrumentalized in punishing dissent and undermining freedom of expression, including through the potential abuse of criminal law provisions on hooliganism. Similarly, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) continue to be a concern, targeting journalists, environmental advocates, and human rights defenders.
The EU-Armenia Strategic Partnership Agreement signed in December 2025 reaffirms that the EU and Armenia will work together to promote human rights. Human rights and fundamental freedoms also stand out among the short- and medium-term priorities of the strategic agenda.
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BlueQubit: How will a startup with Armenian founders approach quantum computing?
August 13, 2026
BlueQubit is a deep-tech company operating in the field of quantum computing, which was created by Armenians Hrant Gharibyan and Hayk Tepanyan. The company’s goal is to make quantum technologies more accessible not only to narrow specialists in the field, but also to programmers, researchers and businesses.
Recently, BlueQubit continues to expand its activities, and the interest in the company is also increasing in investment circles. In this context, BANA Angels has announced an investment in BlueQubit. The investment was made through BANA’s The Syndicate program, which enables network investors to jointly participate in the financing of prospective companies.
Quantum computing is considered one of the next big trends in the technological world. It may change fields such as drug and new material development, financial modeling, cyber security, optimization problems and artificial intelligence in the future. However, working with quantum systems remains a complex and highly specialized process.
BlueQubit, a quantum software company founded in 2022, is focused on solving this very problem. It was created by Hrant Gharibyan and Hayk Tepanyan with the aim of “democratizing” access to quantum computing and speeding up their practical application.
Hrant Gharibyan is the co-founder and executive director of the company. He is a theoretical physicist, has a PhD from Stanford University and specialized in the field of quantum information and black hole physics. He also previously conducted research at Caltech. At the company, Gharibyan is mainly engaged in the application direction of quantum technologies and adapting real-world business problems to the possibilities of quantum computing.
Hayk Tepanyan is the co-founder and technical director of BlueQubit. He is a graduate of Stanford, specializing in computer science, and before BlueQubit he worked at Google in the direction of AI/ML infrastructures. He now leads the company’s technology development, particularly in the direction of work with quantum algorithms, simulations and quantum hardware.
The combination of these two specialist experiences is one of the main advantages of BlueQubit: on the one hand, deep knowledge of quantum physics and theory, on the other hand, experience in creating large-scale software and engineering systems.
What does BlueQubit do?
In a simplified form, BlueQubit creates the infrastructure through which a user can write a quantum program, test it first on a simulator, and then, if necessary, run it on a real quantum system.
The company’s platform allows working with both quantum simulators and real Quantum Processing Units (QPUs). The platform is designed to make running quantum programs as simple as possible and with minimal technical complexity.
BlueQubit supports the use of popular quantum programming tools, including Qiskit and Cirq. The company also develops its own SDK, APIs, simulation infrastructure, and tools for quantum research.
This approach is important especially because the availability of quantum systems is still limited. Instead of a researcher or company building their own quantum system, they need to have an appropriate software environment and access to existing quantum hardware.
Quantum systems are still expensive, complex and sensitive technologies. Running every test on them right away is not always effective.
Simulators play an important role here. BlueQubit uses CPU and GPU infrastructure to simulate the operation of quantum systems using classical computers. From the first versions of its platform, the company introduced fast GPU-powered simulators and a free access option for developers and researchers.
BlueQubit’s goal is not just to create a simulation of quantum systems. The company is trying to connect quantum computing with specific applied problems.
Possible directions include:
- finance: portfolio optimization and complex financial modelling;
- pharmaceutics and medicine: simulation of molecules and materials;
- development of new materials,
- cyber security and cryptography,
- artificial intelligence and machine learning,
- complex optimization problems,
- scientific research and modeling of physical systems.
In these areas, quantum systems do not yet replace classical computers. However, for certain types of problems, they may provide a computational advantage in the future. In BlueQubit’s own materials, it is also emphasized that quantum systems are currently more correctly considered as a powerful tool for special problems, and not as a complete replacement for conventional computers.
The company is engaged not only in the development of the software platform, but also in the research of quantum algorithms and quantum machine learning.
In 2023, Hrant Gharibyan and Hayk Tepanyan co-authored research on the “Hierarchical Learning” method, the purpose of which is to make the learning of large-scale variational quantum circuits effective. In the study, the approach was also tested on a large number of qubits with GPU simulations.
In 2025, BlueQubit’s platform was also used in quantum image processing research. The team of scientists conducted experiments on quantum systems from IBM and Quantinuum, including image classification experiments using up to 72 qubits.
DARPA-from until USA: of energy ministry
BlueQubit’s activities also go beyond the startup environment.
In 2023, the company’s algorithm was selected as part of the IMPAQT program of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA. The project focused on the development of applied quantum algorithms for today’s noisy intermediate-scale quantum systems.
In July 2026, BlueQubit and partners also received Genesis Mission grants from the US Department of Energy totaling $1.5 million. Within the scope of projects, the company works with Microsoft, national laboratories and a number of universities in the direction of quantum error correction and development of fault-tolerant quantum computing.
BlueQubit has already attracted large private investments. In late 2024, the company announced a $10 million seed round led by Nyca Partners. Investors also included Chaac Ventures, Restive Ventures, Alumni Ventures, NKM Capital, BigStory VC, DEPO Ventures, Formula VC, Untapped Ventures and Granatus Ventures.
The Armenian investment ecosystem is also involved in BlueQubit’s story. Granatus Ventures mentions the company in its portfolio and introduces Hrant Gharibyan and Hayk Tepanyan as founders of BlueQubit.
BANA Angels-in: new the investment
Against this background, BANA Angels also joins as a new investor. The organization announced an investment in BlueQubit through BANA’s The Syndicate program.
The program enables investors from the BANA Angels network to come together and jointly invest in companies that develop advanced technologies and innovative solutions.
According to BANA Angels, by joining BlueQubit, the organization aims to support the further development of the company and participate in shaping the future of quantum computing.
The new investment is particularly interesting because BlueQubit already has a product in the international market, a large investment round and experience in research collaborations. That is, BANA’s investment is made at the stage when the company has already passed the stages of idea and initial product formation and is trying to expand its technological and commercial influence.
Although BlueQubit’s main operations are in the US, the company also has a team and technology presence in Armenia. The company previously announced the recruitment of backend developers in Armenia, emphasizing that the team will participate in the development of the infrastructure and platform of quantum solutions.
This circumstance makes BlueQubit an interesting example for the Armenian technological ecosystem. the company was created by founders of Armenian origin, operates in the global market and at the same time maintains connections with Armenian technological specialists.
SIRARPI AGHABABYAN
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168: Middle East. the birth of a new “axis”. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and P
August 13, 2026
On August 7, Turkish President Recep Erdogan, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif signed a “collective defense agreement” aimed at “strengthening collective deterrence of any form of aggression” at a ceremony in Mecca, which stipulates that an armed attack on any of the three states will be considered an attack on all.
However, the specific obligations of the parties have not yet been revealed. Moreover, a certain analogy with the infamous Article 5 of the NATO treaty can be observed. The subtlety of the situation is that Pakistan is known to have nuclear weapons. The agreement also provides for the development of defense cooperation between the three states in all directions, it is noted in the joint statement adopted as a result of the meeting of the leaders of the three countries. In addition to the location of the signing of the agreement, Friday, a special day of collective prayer for Muslims, also seems symbolic.
The complex work on the agreement has been going on for more than a year, relying on previously reached documents and informal agreements meant to regulate and restore Turkish-Saudi understanding. To remind, in 2011, Recep Erdogan supported the mass protests, which became known as the “Arab Spring”, while Riyadh considered the speeches covering many countries of the Middle East and North Africa as a threat to the monarchical government system. In 2015-2016, Saudi Arabia and the UAE joined forces to counter Turkey in Libya. They also supported President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who came to power in Egypt as a result of a military coup, whom Erdogan strongly criticized at first.
However, earlier mistrust in Turkish-Saudi (as well as Turkish-Egyptian) relations has been gradually overcome in recent years, bolstered by major defense contracts. Closer ties have been established between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which signed a mutual defense agreement in September 2025. In March 2026, the heads of the foreign ministries of Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt were holding talks on the formation of a joint system of Collective Security, which was more than required due to the current trends in the Middle East crisis.
It seems that each of the signatory states can be considered individually as an ally of the US, even if it is not ready to listen to the infamous “Uncle Sam” on every occasion. However, it can be safely argued that the “Mecca Agreement” is the result of diplomatic efforts by the three leading states of the Islamic world, in the context of the visible degradation of both the American military presence in the Middle East and strategic planning in general.
For what it’s worth, even just the aggression against Iran, which forced Tehran to respond to the United States and Israel, also hitting various facilities in the territory of a number of Arab monarchies that are part of the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf. It is clearly not accidental that some ill-wishers tried to give a unique interpretation to the “Mecca Agreement”, starting to make judgments about the alliance of the leading Sunni states, which is allegedly aimed at “containment” of Shiite Iran. However, this is unlikely to be the case. Ankara has stated that the agreement is exclusively defensive in nature, is not directed against any specific state and is open to other countries in the region to join.
It can be assumed that, first of all, we are talking about the Arab Republic of Egypt. Erdogan and al-Sisi align their positions with the overall concern of Israel’s war in Gaza, which the United Nations has recognized as genocide, as well as the periodic attacks by ISIS on neighboring countries. Moreover, In February 2026, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced “the intention to create its own axis of states confronting the two axes of radical Islam. These states stand against the radical Shiite axis, which we have already dealt a significant blow, and against the emerging radical Sunni axis. In the future…we will create a whole system, a hexagon of peculiar alliances, which includes India, Arab countries, African states, Greece and Cyprus.
In Israel, the Turkish-Saudi-Pakistani agreement is perceived as a real threat to the panorama of consistently deteriorating relations with Ankara.. Neither Pakistan nor Saudi Arabia, despite some behind-the-scenes moves, recognize the “Zionist regime” and are unlikely to do so in the foreseeable future, despite attempts by the White House and foreign lobbyists to advance the so-called “Abraham Accords” aimed at lifting Israel out of regional isolation.
It should be assumed that the agreements formed in Mecca will contribute to close political-diplomatic coordination between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, as well as give additional impetus to trilateral military-technical measures, including the expansion of the possibility of arms exports, which is especially important for Turkey.
Pakistan is the only state in the Muslim world that has nuclear weapons, and it is no secret that both Riyadh and Ankara are actively interested in the relevant technologies. Energy-rich Saudi Arabia is the only G20 Arab country to host Mecca and Medina, the traditional pilgrimage sites for Muslims from around the world.
The Republic of Turkey, located in Asia and Europe at the same time, maintains the second largest army among NATO countries and has its own voice within the Alliance, which may also be of interest to partners. Thus, each of the signatories has its own special advantages, which advantageously distinguishes the new defense alliance from such organizations as the League of Arab States, the above-mentioned Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf, or even the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which at every step demonstrate their, to say the least, insufficient efficiency.
As an Al-Jazeera correspondent stated in a report from the scene of events in Mecca, the agreement “essentially unites the three largest Muslim countries, heralding the beginning of a different security architecture in the Middle East»: Perhaps, it is still premature to talk about “unification”, as the agreement has yet to pass the test of time. Opponents are clearly not going to sit idly by, and previous disagreements over one or another conflict plot may once again enter the actual agenda. However, “The Mecca Agreement” testifies to the regional powers’ desire to form their own system of collective securityto the long-term escalation of instability in the Middle East and the irretrievable past of American hegemony.
Translation by Zhanna Avetisyan
Աղբյուրը՝ infoshos.ru
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RFE/RL – Pashinian Softens Rhetoric On Russian Control Of Armenian Railway
- Shoghik Galstian
Two weeks after threatening legal action to end Russia’s management of Armenia’s railway network and triggering stern warnings from Moscow, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Thursday that he is open to a “compromise” deal on the issue.
Pashinian made clear that his government will not unilaterally scrap a 30-year management contract with the Russian Railways (RZhD) monopoly signed in 2008. He also seemed to walk back on his threats to charge RZhD as much as $2 billion annually for its management rights.
“I suggested this as one of the possible development scenarios without having anything specific in mind,” he told reporters.
“We want an amicable solution, we don’t want a [contract] dissolution,” he said. “We can always do it, we can do it today, but we don’t want to go down that path.”
The remarks contrasted with what Pashinian said on July 30 three days an apparently tense phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He declared that there is “no alternative” to ending the Russian control of Armenia’s railways.
“If there is a disagreement, then we will go to arbitration to do something, to discuss,” he said.
The RZhD chairman, Oleg Belozerov, responded by saying that Yerevan would have to compensate his company for about $400 million in investments its claims to have made in the network since 2009. Russian Minister for Economic Development Maksim Reshetnikov echoed the warning. Reshetnikov said Armenia would also pay a heavy price for its exit from the Eurasian Economic Union.
Moscow has since continued to press Yerevan to call a referendum on remaining part of the Russian-led trade bloc or continuing to seek membership of the European Union. Pashinian remains reluctant to do that, mindful of the Armenian economy’s heavy dependence on Russia.
Pashinian first called for an end to RZhD’s presence in Armenia in February. He said the Armenian railway should be run by another, non-Russian company because its current status discourages Turkey and Azerbaijan from using a much larger section of Armenian territory for transit purposes.
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More Subsidies Approved For Armenian Exporters Hit By Russian Sanctions
- Narine Ghalechian
The Armenian government approved on Thursday about 5.65 billion drams ($14.6 million) in fresh subsidies to local agricultural exporters that manage to find new markets for their products recently banned by Russia.
The government already allocated a similar amount of financial aid to them in early June after Moscow blocked imports of Armenian fruits, vegetables, fish, flowers, mineral water and some alcoholic beverages on supposedly sanitary grounds. It set specific amounts of compensation for each of those items exported to countries other than Russia.
Deputy Economy Minister Arman Khojoyan spoke of “obvious progress recorded in the process of diversifying export markets” during a weekly cabinet meeting in Yerevan. Khojoyan listed the physical volumes of the affected products which he said were exported to some two dozen countries last month. But he did not compare them with corresponding export data for the same period of last year.
According to official statistics, Armenia’s overall exports tumbled by more than 20 percent year on year in June. Russia has long been their single largest destination. Russian officials put at over $700 million the annual amount of Armenian imports covered by the sanctions.
Fresh Line, an export-oriented company that has greenhouses and orchards and also buys produce from farmers, was among the recipients of the first subsidies. Its founder, Gevorg Ghukasian, plans to also take advantage of the government’s second aid package.
“We have exported apricots, plums, pepper, tomatoes and a small amount of cherries,” Ghukasian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “The subsidies are critical for this process.”
The government has in turn received 52 million euros ($60 million) in financial aid from the European Union to cope with consequences of the Russian embargo. Visiting Yerevan last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised that the EU will open its tightly protected and regulated market to Armenian agricultural products.
The Russian sanctions followed two European summits in Yerevan during which Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian reaffirmed his administration’s intention to seek Armenia’s eventual accession to the EU. Russia says these aspirations are no longer compatible with the South Caucasus nation’s membership in a Russian-led trade bloc essential for the Armenian economy.
While repeatedly urging Moscow to lift the sanctions, Pashinian has described them as an “opportunity” to diversify Armenian exports. He again urged local agribusiness firms and farmers on Thursday to use it.
Many of them are skeptical about prospects for redirecting their exports to the EU. They argue that they cannot quickly switch to the EU market due to a lack of established business contacts, much higher transport costs and the bloc’s stringent food safety standards.
Fresh Line’s Ghukasian cited the same problems. He said that only one of his company’s new export markers, Poland, is an EU member state.
“We still have a long way to go to gain a foothold there,” said the businessman.
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Former Armenian Speaker Gets New Government Job
Alen Simonian, a former parliament speaker unexpectedly pushed out by the ruling Civil Contract in late June, was appointed as the new secretary of Armenia’s Security Council on Thursday.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian announced Simonian’s appointment during a weekly meeting of his cabinet. He gave no clear reason for his decision to replace the current secretary, Armen Grigorian, who has held that position for over eight years.
“It’s not that I’m dissatisfied with Armen Grigorian’s work,” he told journalists after the cabinet meeting. “But it’s not that I’m so satisfied with my own work that I consider it perfect. I think such decisions are normal in politics.”
Pashinian said that Grigorian has turned down his offer to join his staff. He did not specify the position offered to the latter.
A longtime Pashinian ally, Simonian served as parliament speaker from 2021-2026. He expected to retain his post after the disputed parliamentary elections held on June 7 and won by Civil Contract. However, the party’s governing body designated instead one of his deputies, Ruben Rubinian, as new speaker on June 25.
Pashinian is believed to have engineered the unexpected decision that led Simonian to refuse to take up his seat in Armenia’s new parliament.
Simonian was dogged by controversy throughout his five-year tenure. In particular, he infamously ordered his bodyguards to catch and overpower a heckler in Yerevan before spitting at the man’s face in 2023. A year later, Simonian publicly insulted a Nagorno-Karabakh activist who berated him and other top state officials during an official ceremony.
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RFE/RL – Another Armenian Oppositionist Arrested
- Naira Bulghadarian
A prominent opposition figure based in Gyumri was arrested on Thursday on charges which his lawyer and political allies said are part of government efforts to seize power in Armenia’s second largest city.
The Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) accused Martun Grigorian of violating a legal ban on pre-election benevolence. The law-enforcement agency searched his home and campaign headquarters in Gyumri ahead of the June 7 parliamentary elections. It released at the time wiretaps of a phone conversation purportedly substantiating its claim that Grigorian gave a local voter construction materials to repair his apartment.
Grigorian, who ran in the elections on the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party’s ticket, denies the accusation. The Prosperous Armenia leader, Gagik Tsarukian, was arrested on July 6 in a crackdown promised by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. Dozens of other opposition members and supporters are also held in detention on election-related charges rejected by them as politically motivated.
“What happened this morning, namely the arrest of Mr. Grigorian, was expected to us,” his lawyer, Arsen Babayan, said, calling it “political persecution.”
Investigators already raided Grigorian’s home and arrested his father and son ahead of a municipal election held in Gyumri in April 2025. That did not prevent a local bloc led by Grigorian and three other opposition groups from collectively defeating Pashinian’s Civil Contract party. The leader of one of those groups, Vartan Ghukasian, was installed as mayor as a result.
Ghukasian was arrested and charged with bribery last October three weeks after Pashinian pledged to oust him from “the political and public arena.” A Yerevan court moved him to house arrest last month despite two more criminal charges leveled against him in June. The fresh indictments coincided with Pashinian’s calls for a snap municipal election in Gyumri which he said should take place “as soon as possible.”
Babayan and Liza Gasparian, a senior member of Grigorian’s Our City bloc, claimed that the latest arrest is also aimed at causing the opposition majority in the city council to collapse and pave the way for the vote sought by Pashinian.
“Our political team is a quite important component of the opposition camp,” said Gasparian. “So this [arrest] is definitely political pressure.”
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A decision was made to arrest Martun Grigoryan. he was taken to Hakakori
August 13, 2026
Former NA deputy Martun Grigoryan was taken to the Anti-corruption Committee with the arrest decision a little while ago. Liza Gasparyan, head of the faction of Gyumri Council of Elders “Our City” of the political team of former NA deputy Martun Grigoryan, announced.
It is not known within the framework of which criminal proceedings the operation was carried out.
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The arrest means that the prosecutor has already initiated public charges against Grigoryan
August 13, 2026
Lawyer Arsen Babayan writes:
“While I am waiting for the meeting with Martun Grigoryan in the anti-corruption committee, I will present the planned procedure.
The arrest for the purpose of presenting to the court means that the prosecutor has already initiated a public criminal prosecution against Martun Grigoryan, and the investigator has come to the conclusion that it is necessary to apply such a restraining measure, the application of which is reserved to the court.
In other words, it is expected that the Anti-Corruption Committee will submit a petition to the Anti-Corruption Court within 24 hours regarding the application of a restraining order.
At the same time, the investigator is also authorized not to initiate such a motion and to release the accused from arrest.
Taking into account the previous experience, as well as the maximalist approaches of the investigative bodies, it can be assumed that the petition will be submitted precisely for the purpose of applying detention as a preventive measure.
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