Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has not ruled out the possibility that the range of goods traded between Armenia and Azerbaijan could expand.

“This year, we have already witnessed the supply of petroleum products from Azerbaijan to Armenia,” TASS quoted Bayramov as saying at a press conference with OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ignazio Cassis.

“It cannot be ruled out that at later stages the range of goods in mutual trade may expand,” Azerbaijan’s foreign minister said.

He noted that in less than a year, around 60,000 tons of cargo had been transported through Azerbaijan’s territory to Armenia and in the opposite direction.

Bayramov also said that the volume of petroleum products sold by Azerbaijan to Armenia amounted to around 20,000 tons.

“I am confident that we will see continued work in this direction,” Bayramov emphasized.

Azerbaijan lifted restrictions on the transit of cargo to Armenia through its territory at the end of October last year and began supplying petroleum products to Armenia in December.

An expanded working meeting chaired by Romanos Petrosyan, the temporary manager of Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA), was held at the company, bringing together deputy chief executive officers, branch directors, the management of the Yerevan Power Supply and Service Department, and the heads of operational districts. 

The company said in a statement that Petrosyan informed participants that a public hearing had recently been held at the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure. 

In the coming weeks, the government will declare the entire 100% stake in Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC subject to overriding public interest. 

In accordance with the established procedure, the company’s market value will be assessed, the shareholders will be officially notified and compensated, after which the company will be registered as a wholly state-owned enterprise. 

During the meeting, it was noted that although the average duration of scheduled works on the electricity distribution network has been reduced, challenges remain in terms of the effectiveness of the works and oversight. 

The temporary manager said all inspectors are required to remain available to the public 24 hours a day and respond promptly to all emergencies, ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply to customers and proper notification regarding both emergency and scheduled works. 

Emergency repair works must be carried out in a way that provides permanent, rather than temporary, solutions to prevent similar incidents from recurring. 

The meeting also discussed the sharp increase in applications from new customers seeking to connect to the distribution network, largely driven by a significant reduction of up to 40% in connection tariffs introduced at the end of April. 

Around 2,500 new customers have joined the distribution network over the past two months, representing an increase of about 35% compared with the same period last year. 

Connection works for new customers are currently being carried out through various mechanisms, including contractor companies, the company’s own resources and newly signed contracting agreements.

Petrosyan also referred to the recent cable line accident on Pap Tagavor Street in Yerevan, noting that ENA is conducting an internal investigation into the incident. 

Electric Networks of Armenia said it will closely monitor improvement works carried out in communities across Armenia to prevent damage to company-owned power cables and the resulting outages. 

Summing up the meeting, Petrosyan said: 

“From today, we are transforming the crisis management phase at Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC into a large-scale process of sustainable development.”

Shushan Aleksanyan, Chief Executive Officer of HayPost and the wife of National Assembly Vice Speaker Hayk Konjoryan, has commented on recent public discussion regarding her reported monthly salary of 3.6 million drams as head of the national postal operator.

In a Facebook post, Aleksanyan provided clarifications regarding HayPost CJSC’s performance during her tenure, expressing hope that the facts presented would help dispel misconceptions surrounding the issue.

She said that under her leadership HayPost had paid 1 billion drams in dividends to the state budget.

“Based on the 2025 results, the company did not incur losses. The relationship between its revenues and expenses (the company’s EBITDA) was positive. The negative figure of around 500 million drams was due to depreciation charges, which are a normal occurrence for organisations with substantial real estate assets and vehicle fleets.

It is also important to emphasise that depreciation is not a cash outflow. Therefore, neither the company nor, especially, the state has actually incurred financial losses (source: published external audit report).

According to the published financial statements, during my tenure, the company’s financial result improved by around 900 million drams in 2025 compared with 2024 (source: published external audit report),” Aleksanyan wrote.

She also said that she has been the lowest-paid HayPost chief executive over the past ten years in terms of both salary and bonuses.

“In previous years, even the heads of individual departments received higher remuneration than I do today as Chief Executive Officer, including during the years of state management. Although I have repeatedly stated that there is nothing inherently wrong with receiving a high salary.

The approximately 5 million drams paid to me in 2024, which was declared in my asset declaration as ‘other income’, was maternity benefit provided in accordance with the law.

I also consider it necessary to remind everyone that I assumed the duties of Chief Executive Officer of HayPost on November 22, 2024. Therefore, I cannot objectively be held responsible for the company’s annual financial results for 2024 or for preceding processes, including tariff revisions,” she wrote.

Aleksanyan called on the public to refrain from arbitrary interpretations of the facts and to consider the issue exclusively from a professional perspective.

In recent days, discussions about Aleksanyan’s reported monthly salary of 3.6 million drams as Chief Executive Officer of HayPost have been taking place both in the media and in the National Assembly, particularly among opposition lawmakers.

The Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Lebanon has expressed its solidarity with the families of those killed in the Beirut port explosion on the sixth anniversary of the tragedy.

In a Facebook post, the embassy said:

“On the sixth anniversary of the Beirut Port explosion, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Lebanon honors the memory of the victims and stands in solidarity with their families and the Lebanese people.

May their souls rest in peace, and may Lebanon find justice and healing.”

The Beirut port explosion occurred on August 4, 2020, at 6:07 p.m. local time and became one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions in history.

The disaster was caused by the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been stored for around six years in Warehouse No. 12 at the port without appropriate safety measures.

At least 218 people, including 13 Armenians, were killed, while more than 7,000 others sustained injuries of varying severity.

The shockwave destroyed a significant portion of the city’s housing stock, leaving around 300,000 people homeless.

The explosion caused an estimated $10-15 billion in economic and infrastructure damage. Its force was equivalent to an earthquake measuring between magnitude 3.3 and 3.5, while the blast and tremors were felt as far away as the island of Cyprus, about 240 kilometres from Beirut.

The Anti-Corruption Court has partially granted the investigator’s motion, extending by one month the house arrest imposed on Armen Ashotyan, vice-chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia and former minister of education and science.

Ashotyan’s lawyer, Ruben Melikyan, announced the decision in a Facebook post.

Ashotyan was remanded in custody on June 5, 2026. On July 3, the Anti-Corruption Court of First Instance extended his detention for another month, after which the defence appealed the ruling to the Court of Appeal.

The criminal proceedings concern alleged abuse of official powers and money laundering. According to the investigating authority, the case concerns the circumstances surrounding the removal from state ownership of real estate belonging to Brusov State University on Pushkin Street in Yerevan and its transfer to private individuals.

Artyom Chernamoryan, president of the Nairi Union of Israeli Armenians in Petah Tikva, says this is not the first time that members of the Armenian community, Armenian priests and Armenian churches in Israel have been targeted by acts of hooliganism. Moreover, he says such incidents are now occurring almost daily.

Speaking to Armenpress, Chernamoryan commented on the latest act of hooliganism committed a few days ago by a group of Orthodox Jewish youths, who once again targeted one of the Armenian monasteries.

“This is happening not only to Armenians but also to Christians of other nationalities. Unfortunately, spitting at people and shouting insults at them has become common behaviour among Orthodox Jews. Just look at how they treat their own state, army and police. In that case, what expectations can we have that they would behave normally towards Armenians in particular?” Chernamoryan said.

He added that the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem is located on Mount Zion, and that every extremist dreams of getting rid not only of Armenians but of all Christians as soon as possible in order to establish complete control over the Old City.

“In general, Jerusalem’s Old City consists of four main communities and, accordingly, four quarters: the Jewish, Christian, Arab and Armenian quarters. The policies pursued by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Interior Minister Moshe Arbel are generally aimed at taking as much as possible away from the Armenian community. Everything possible is being done to weaken the Armenian community. Unfortunately, this policy has been pursued quite extensively in recent years. This is precisely what lies behind the controversial deal involving one of the Armenian properties known as the Cows’ Garden. In fact, there are two such projects, one of which even envisages the appropriation of part of the Armenian Theological Seminary building,” he said.

According to Chernamoryan, Orthodox Jewish youths display pronounced intolerance towards all Christians and frequently resort to provocations and acts of hooliganism against Armenians, Greeks and Catholics alike.

Because the Armenian Quarter lies on the route to one of their holy sites, the Western Wall, Armenians are targeted more frequently by extremists and have become victims of repeated attacks.

“Nevertheless, unlike other Christian communities, Armenians are able to defend themselves and, if necessary, even engage in physical confrontations to restrain the hooligans. Following the latest incident, the Armenian side called the police, who, unlike in previous cases, responded more promptly. There are also Christian police officers in Israel who defend the rights of fellow Christians, even using force against offenders and hooligans. The perpetrators were handcuffed and taken to the police station. It is commendable that, at least this time, law enforcement reacted very quickly. On the other hand, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, whom he described as Orthodox, try in every possible way to protect members of their own religious community by turning a blind eye to acts of hooliganism,” Chernamoryan said.

In his view, when representatives of this segment of society occupy senior government positions and head law enforcement agencies, many provocateurs receive very lenient punishments. For example, they may simply be instructed not to visit or pray at the Western Wall for ten days. Even those placed under house arrest are sometimes released shortly afterwards.

“Israel has a Ministry of Religious Affairs as well as a council representing different faiths and religions. The latest incident has come under the attention of these bodies. I do not believe it is in Israel’s interest, particularly at a time when the country is already facing war, to damage relations with Christian states, especially its principal ally, the United States. This is all the more significant because the President of the United States recently stressed the need to preserve Christian cultural heritage in the Middle East. Donald Trump generally presents himself as a defender of Christians, specifically highlighting the role of Armenians in the region. Therefore, attacks on Armenians in full view of the Christian world are intolerable. Moreover, because of Israel’s military operations in the Middle East, antisemitism has once again been on the rise in European countries,” he said.

According to Chernamoryan, the Israeli media gave extensive coverage to the latest incident involving Armenians and strongly criticised the hooligan behaviour of the Orthodox youths.

He added that the overwhelming majority of Israeli society also rejects such behaviour because many Christians, including people of Jewish background, live in the country and condemn violence and the incitement of ethnic hatred.

“To prevent such incidents, educational work among Orthodox youth should be promoted at the state level. They should not be indoctrinated, and yeshivas (Jewish religious schools) should teach tolerance towards other religions. In other words, the education system needs reform. They have become so emboldened by the atmosphere of impunity that they now even assault police officers. Recently, for example, a policewoman was subjected to mob violence after delivering them a notice to serve in the Israeli army. If this is how they treat members of their own nation, is it not obvious how they will treat foreigners or followers of other religions?” Chernamoryan concluded.

Armenpress also contacted the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Chancellor Fr. Aghan Gogchyan said the Patriarchate is preparing an official statement on the latest incident, which will be released soon.

A few days ago, a group of Orthodox Jewish youths struck the gates of an Armenian monastery in Jerusalem during the night, spat, shouted insults and threw stones at its windows. One of the Armenians called the police. The police arrested the hooligans and took them to a police station.

Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar strongly condemned ongoing Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip, saying that Israel is targeting healthcare facilities and medical infrastructure, causing civilian casualties and breaching international law.

“The mediators stress the need for Israel to comply with all of its obligations under international law and to fully uphold its commitments under the ceasefire agreement, affirming that the continuation of these violations constitutes a breach of the agreement and undermines the efforts aimed at implementing its second phase, particularly following Hamas and the Palestinian factions’ announcement of their acceptance of the roadmap, especially the provision concerning the confinement of weapons. They further warn that these violations threaten the path toward de-escalation and exacerbate the suffering of civilians in the Gaza Strip,” the three countries said in a joint statement published by the Qatari foreign ministry.

“The mediators renew their call for ensuring the full protection of civilians, medical facilities, and humanitarian personnel, and for guaranteeing the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance and medical supplies throughout the Gaza Strip. The mediators also call on the international community to assume its responsibilities and exert the necessary pressure on Israel to fulfill its obligations under international law and the ceasefire agreement, in a manner that ensures the completion of President Trump’s peace plan. They note that President Trump described reaching consensus on the roadmap for the second phase as a “historic agreement,” and stress the need to prevent any undermining of the efforts aimed at achieving a sustainable de-escalation, leading to a permanent ceasefire and an end to the humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip.”

In January 2025, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar. The initiative consisted of three phases: the first included a halt to military operations, the release of detainees, and the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces. The subsequent phases envisaged the complete end of the conflict and the reconstruction process.

On July 30, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that an agreement had been reached on the second phase, which envisages the complete disarmament of Palestinian factions.

Under a decision by Türkiye’s Supreme Military Council, General Rafet Dalkıran has been appointed the new commander of the Turkish Air Force.

Turkish media reported the appointment, citing the relevant decree.

The Supreme Military Council also decided to extend the term of office of Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu by one year.

Iraq plans to begin construction of a new oil pipeline to neighbouring Syria and Türkiye in the near future as part of efforts to diversify its hydrocarbon export routes.

RIA Novosti reported the announcement, citing Salim al-Rikabi, spokesperson for Iraq’s Ministry of Oil.

“The next step will be to complete all procedures required to launch construction of the new Basra-Haditha oil pipeline, which will then extend to Ceyhan (Türkiye) and Baniyas (Syria),” al-Rikabi said in response to a question about the Iraqi government’s next steps following agreements with Ankara and Damascus.

On August 1, Iraq and Türkiye signed an agreement on the transportation and processing of Iraqi crude oil through the pipeline leading to the port of Ceyhan. The agreement provides for a minimum daily volume of 750,000 barrels.

On July 17, Iraq and Syria signed a memorandum of understanding in Washington to restore the pipeline between the two countries.

Iraq’s oil sector has suffered significant damage as a result of the Gulf conflict and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which most of the country’s oil exports pass. In light of the situation, Iraqi leaders are seeking to increase oil exports via alternative routes.