More than 800 strike sorties have been carried out by the Israeli Air Force using approximately 16,000 different munitions thus far in the attacks on Iran, which Israel calls Operation Roaring Lion, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday.

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posed a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged Australians to use public transport due to fuel supply uncertainties created by the Iran war, the Associated Press reports.

Albanese said in a statement broadcast Wednesday by major television and radio networks that “the months ahead may not be easy.”

“You should go about your business and your life as normal. Enjoy your Easter,” Albanese said.

“And over the coming weeks, if you can switch to catching the train or bus or tram to work, do so,” he added.

Australia slashed fuel taxes from Wednesday in a bid to curb price rises at the pump, according to AP.

The government maintains that Australia has all the fuel it needs, but panic buying and distribution problems have created regional shortages.

China’s Finance Ministry said on Wednesday that Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne would visit China this week, a trip his office said ‌aimed to build closer strategic and economic ties.

The finance ministry said the visit would take place from April 1 to April 4, according to Reuters.

Champagne’s office said in a statement on Monday that the visit would build on Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s trip to China in ⁠January, the first by a Canadian prime minister since 2017.

China is Canada’s second‑largest single‑country trading partner. Two‑way merchandise trade between the two countries totalled $124.8 billion in 2025, Reuters reported.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan released a statement on March 31, falsely accusing what it described as “Armenian groups” of carrying out “genocide” against Azerbaijanis in 1918.

In an interview with Armenpress, Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan responded to the statement.

Armenpress: How would you comment on the March 31, 2026 statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan?

Badalyan: During the decades-long conflict, a number of hostile and unfounded narratives had taken shape which, unfortunately, continue to be used in Azerbaijan, even at the state level.

We hope that the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan will not only contribute to stable, peaceful coexistence and the development of good-neighborly relations between the two states and societies, but will also put an end to fabricated claims and rule out hate speech. We recall that the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan reached an agreement on this in Washington, where the declaration signed on August 8, 2025, clearly states in its fifth point the intention to close the chapter of hostility between the two peoples and to embark on building good-neighborly relations following a conflict that caused immense human suffering.

Armenian Ambassador to Argentina Hovhannes Virabyan met with Argentina’s Minister of Defense, Carlos Presti.

“During the meeting, the parties discussed prospects for the development of sectoral bilateral cooperation, emphasizing their mutual interest in strengthening dialogue and expanding areas of cooperation,” the Armenian Embassy in Argentina said in a press release.

Ambassador Virabyan and Minister Presti also exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, highlighting the importance of promoting joint initiatives that contribute to the strengthening of bilateral relations.

The sports school, which will be named in honor of retired Armenian-German professional boxer Arthur Abraham, is under construction in Yerevan.

The school will be located in the Charbakh neighborhood of the Shengavit district.

Abraham posted a video from the construction site, thanking the Armenian government for building the school named after him.

Arayik Harutyunyan, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office, said that by naming the school after Abraham, the government is paying tribute to the renowned athlete.

“In the Charbakh district of Shengavit, the magnificent school named after Arthur Abraham is being built. Beyond expressing our appreciation for our renowned boxer, we are also constructing a sports complex unlike anything the Shengavit administrative district has ever seen. Let us value our athletes,” Harutyunyan wrote on social media.

Arthur Abraham held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the IBF middleweight title from 2005 to 2009, and the WBO super-middleweight title twice between 2012 and 2016.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan released a statement on April 1 congratulating the country’s Assyrian community on Kha b-Nisan, the Assyrian New Year.

“Dear representatives of the Assyrian community of the Republic of Armenia, I warmly congratulate you on the occasion of the New Year, Kha b-Nisan,” Pashinyan said in a statement published by his office.

“This holiday symbolizes the awakening and fertility of nature, and I wish that it brings joy, love, and happiness to Assyrians who are citizens of the Republic of Armenia. May the coming year be one of productive endeavors, success, abundance, and well-being for you.

Dear members of the Assyrian community of the Republic of Armenia, I would also like to thank all of you for your efforts, work, and dedication to the development of our state.

Happy Kha b-Nisan!”

The Kremlin said that the upcoming Armenia-Russia talks, led by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin and scheduled for Wednesday, will focus on the bilateral agenda as well as the development of economic, transport, and logistics ties in the South Caucasus.

“After that, the two leaders, Putin and Pashinyan, will continue the talks one-on-one in a luncheon format,” RIA Novosti quoted Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying.

The Prime Minister’s Office earlier said that Pashinyan will travel to Moscow on April 1 to meet President Putin.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has arrived in Russia.

He is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin today in Moscow.

Pashinyan posted a video of his arrival showing Russian Deputy FM Mikhail Galuzin greeting him at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport. 

The Kremlin earlier said the talks will focus on bilateral issues, as well as the development of economic, transport, and logistics ties in the South Caucasus.

Moscow reacts calmly to Armenia’s aspirations to develop relations with the European Union, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Moscow.

He stated that  Russia views this process with understanding as any country seeks to gain maximum benefit from cooperation with third countries. The Russian President noted that such processes should be “clear and predictable”.

At the same time, Putin pointed out that it is impossible to simultaneously be part of the customs systems of both the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union.

“The issue is not even political in nature, but purely economic,” Putin said.