March: 30, 2026
Although US President Donald Trump temporarily stopped the attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure, declaring that the negotiations with Iran are progressing in a positive direction, he again started threatening the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The US president has stated that if Iran does not immediately open the Strait of Hormuz, the US will destroy all power plants, oil fields and Kharg Island. By the way, in another reference, Trump said that Iran probably will not be able to protect that island.
“If for any reason a deal is not reached soon, and if the Strait of Hormuz is not immediately open for business, we will end our wonderful visit to Iran by blowing up and completely destroying all of their power plants, oil wells and Kharg Island that we have not deliberately touched yet,” Trump said.
He also did not rule out attacks on Iran’s water purification plants. At the same time, Washington is conducting serious negotiations with what Trump says is a “new, more reasonable” government in Iran and understands that a peace agreement is inevitable. In an interview with the Financial Times and later in a conversation with journalists on Air Force One, the head of the White House also stated that he would like to “take Iran’s oil”, but at the same time assured that the negotiations between Washington and Tehran are going “very well” and he is “almost certain” that a peace agreement will be signed.
In a conversation with journalists, the US president said that contacts with Iran are ongoing, both directly and indirectly, and claimed that Tehran is partially opening the Strait of Hormuz. However, he did not clarify what he meant by direct negotiations.
“We are progressing extremely well in these negotiations. But with Iran, you never know, we negotiate with them, then we always have to bomb,” Trump said, referring to both the B-52 bombers and the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement. According to him, there will be a deal, but he did not rule out the opposite scenario either. Trump also stated that the Iranian regime is already “crushed”.
Spokesman of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ismail Bagheri, also stated that Iran has received messages from mediators that indicate the United States’ willingness to negotiate, but the US proposals are “unrealistic, illogical and exaggerated”. “Our position is clear. We are under military aggression. Therefore, all our efforts and forces are focused on self-defense,” said Bagheri.
168.amRussian analyst Alexander Khramchikhin said in a conversation with According to him, the statements according to which Washington is ready to strike Iran if the latter does not ensure the opening of the Strait of Hormuz are simultaneously accompanied by signals of readiness to negotiate, but this “dual message” creates a strategic deadlock rather than an effective pressure mechanism.
“The Strait of Hormuz is one of the key points of the world energy system, through which a significant part of oil supplies pass, so it is not only an economic but also a security lever for Iran, which Iran uses well during this war. For this reason, any demand under threats is perceived in Tehran not as a negotiation proposal, but as coercion. Acceptance of such demands in that political system of Iran will mean a loss of internal legitimacy.
In addition, it appears that Washington’s proposed points for Iran are seen as capitulation: sharp limits on the nuclear program, reduction of regional influence and control of military capabilities. These demands are beyond the logic of classical compromise and are closer to coercion. As a result, the negotiations are deadlocked before they start, because one side demands the maximum concession, and the other cannot accept it,” the analyst said. He believes that this controversial approach has several consequences for the United States.
According to the analyst, this policy creates a trust deficit.
“When there are both threats of strikes and calls for negotiations at the same time, they are perceived as an inconsistency in strategy. For Iran, this means that even in the case of negotiations, there are no guarantees that they will not be interrupted by strikes. In addition, if the threats do not come true, and the US constantly threatens, the US loses its role. The Strait of Hormuz may not become an open channel, but a conflict zone with global economic consequences. The complication of international positions is also a consequence for the USA. European and Asian partners, dependent on cross-strait energy carriers, tend to support stability, not force pressure. Thus, the tough rhetoric of the US may not receive full international support, limiting Washington’s ability to maneuver.
In this situation, a classic diplomatic impasse is formed. The US cannot fully back down from its tough demands without losing credibility, but it also cannot force Iran to accept them without a major escalation. Iran, for its part, cannot accept conditions that are perceived as a limitation of sovereignty, but is also not interested in an open military conflict,” Khramchikhin noted, continuing that a difficult situation is being created where the threat of force and the offer of negotiations do not complement each other, but mutually cancel each other.
According to the expert, this not only makes it difficult to reach a concrete agreement, but also deepens the crisis of confidence.
“This is like a strategic impasse without a clear way out. It is also obvious that the Trump administration is looking for a way out of the current situation, but that possible way out is looking more and more vague in the background of the prolongation of the war,” he said.
As for the South Caucasus, the analyst believes that as long as Iran effectively confronts and restrains its opponents, no developments are expected in the South Caucasus.
“It is generally understood that as a result of this conflict, the balance of power will change, which will affect the South Caucasus,” he said.
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Blackmail and mutually beneficial deal between Pashinyan and Aliyev, if Pashinyan is not elected, Aliyev
March: 30, 2026
On March 27, a Facebook live with the caption “Peace is dignity”. ether Nikol Pashinyan, referring to the claims of his political opponents that the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not dignified, said:
“With what? are justification they that the thesis, of justifications one it is, that Azerbaijan, note having 2021, 2022, 2023 of years the events, invasion is implemented RA: sovereign area: First՝ that place is had no or of peace, other of conflict in the situation: Preceding of the region all the invasions two from the sides place are had no or of peace, other of conflict because of, of war because of»:
In other words, the leader of Armenia is not referring to 2020. A tripartite signed after the 44-day war to the announcement, the first point of which clearly defines that after November 10 “the parties stop at their positions”, and emphasizes that Azerbaijan has not fulfilled the points of the tripartite declaration, justifies Baku’s steps beyond that. Even if we accept that the tripartite declaration of November 9 was a cease-fire document, and in fact it was, then why didn’t we immediately try to restore the losses of the army after the war, why didn’t the state live in the conditions dictated by the unfinished conflict?
In addition to this, Pashinyan does not mention in the text of his justification that it is about the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, and whether there was a war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, whether Armenia officially declared war on Azerbaijan, or vice versa. Were the sovereign territories of RA the subject of negotiations, if we do not count some topics related to Meghri, but it was in the context of the Karabakh conflict, we are talking about something else.
Accordingly, can we say that Pashinyan legitimizes Baku’s illegal military operations against Armenia, in the event that after the 44-day period, Armenia did not invade the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan, and the fact that in the 1990s and after that both sides made positional improvements cannot be compared to the Azerbaijani invasions of 2021-2023? Սա՝ first:
Secondly, can we say that Pashinyan admits that the invasions of Baku into the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia were aimed at military, military-political and political pressure on Armenia in the context of the Artsakh issue, especially when Pashinyan himself in the background of the September 2022 military operations had confessed.
«Thus, Azerbaijan expresses its dissatisfaction with the results of the 44-day war, taking into account that NK has a contact line, the protection and security of which is guaranteed by the Russian Federation. Now I can’t say many details…”
Another confession of Pashinyan had done 2021 in the context of the May Azerbaijani advances, that the army was given a political order not to fight, because the extraordinary NA elections were ahead. 2021 Azerbaijani invasions in May and 2022 between the September battles there were also the November 2021 battles. And the coordinated military operation of the Azerbaijani-Turkish tandem on November 16, 2021 was also in the context of aspirations related to the corridor of Nakhichevan, Zangezur and Lachin. As a result of the combat operations of those days, according to information published in the Azerbaijani media maps,the enemy’s armed forces were able to go to key and strategically important heights in the direction of the Eastern Sevan mountains or the mountain range towards Karvachar, and also captured several Armenian positions as a result of the battles around the Kilisali mountain. Azerbaijan aimed to keep the Lachin Corridor under its visual control, which, perhaps, it partially succeeded. Did the current government of RA not calculate all this? Why did Azerbaijan manage to carry out 3 such military operations in the sovereign territory of RA after 44 days? Are we dealing with a deal or criminal indifference – the conflict is not settled, we lived only for the finished in military and political conditions.
Third, although actual peace has been established at the cost of territorial and human losses, but if there is no final peace agreement, plus there are unresolved issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan, can we say that Baku can take local military steps that Pashinyan will justify?
And Pashinyan also mentioned in the above-mentioned live Facebook broadcast that the former military-political leadership of Artsakh appeared in Baku again due to the conflict, when Artsakh was depopulated and Baku could not kidnap people. Baku considers their trial and verdicts with fabricated articles as “Nuremberg”, when Pashinyan already claimed that peace has been established. And Pashinyan, in fact, justifying Aliyev’s “Nuremberg”, went too far and began to “play” the issue of their return.
“Continuation of the conflict reduces many times, if not makes it impossible to release them, and peace increases many times, if not guarantees their release.” he emphasized.
Yes, the release and return of the former military-political leadership of Artsakh is a political issue, and Pashinyan, in fact, says that if he does not win the upcoming elections, there should be no hope for their return at all. And giving back certainly comes at a price. In other words, the fact that the CP members say that they are working towards their return is actually what Pashinyan said in the broadcast of March 27. both Aliyev and Pashinyan are trying to turn the issue of the return of the former military-political leadership of Artsakh into a mutually beneficial deal.
And on March 30, Pashinyan made another Facebook post during the live broadcast declared that before the peace he established, we only had a postponement of the war at the cost of casualties, injuries, lack of economic development and loss of independence.
Yes, it was possible to postpone the war, for better or for worse, but why couldn’t he do the same, why couldn’t he prevent the occupation of the sovereign territories of RA at the cost of several thousand casualties and territorial losses during the 44-day war? Moreover, Pashinyan says, after the four-day war in 2016, it became clear that “that means of payment has been exhausted.”
And why did he “get under it” or did he find out after coming to power, and when – before or after the 2020 war? Of course, before, which Pashinyan publicly admitted only after the war, it was necessary.
By the way, Pashinyan, considering today that after 2016, a different logic was operating, outside of the negotiation logic, on March 29, 2019, after meeting with Aliyev for several hours at the “Bristol” hotel in Vienna, he announced that in the negotiation language, the parties should try not to harm each other, not to look for winners and losers, because the conflict has deep roots, it is not a simple situation.
And days after that, in a conversation with Armenian journalists, the same Pashinyan claimed that The formula “new war, new territories” in no way casts a shadow on the peaceful settlement process, on the contrary, it emphasizes the importance of a peaceful settlement, although this caused the anger of Baku. In other words, Pashinyan transferred the statement made by the former Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia in military logic to the political dimension and did not see any danger in the conditions of an unsettled conflict. But today he sees the danger of war from every word, when, as he says, we have established peace, there is no longer a post-2016 situation. Isn’t it a paradox?
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The territory of the homeland is an easy concession, he says, it should be. Narek Karapetyan
March: 30, 2026
“Strong Armenia” party council member Narek Karapetyan writes. “Territory of the homeland is an easy concession, he says, it is necessary.
“National dignity is an easy concession,” he says. He always has something that cannot be given up – his chair.
More than anything, above everything!
He loves his… chair in life.
It’s time for a leader who will ensure a strong peace, that’s what we really need.”
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Not talking about Artsakh, we are opening the way to Syunik, Tavush, Yerevan…
March: 30, 2026
“We are living in very difficult and amazing times, when you could not imagine in your most fantastic dream that one day they will not allow you to talk about Artsakh, they will try to close the issue of Artsakh in every possible way. right now we have a situation where courage is required to speak about Artsakh.” 168 Artsakh public figure Nare Simonyan raised his concerns about Artsakh during the TV program “Zara has a question”.
He regretfully noted that not only the enemies outside our borders, but also the authorities of the Republic of Armenia are interested in closing the Artsakh issue.
“They seem to have become the primary beneficiary of closing the Artsakh issue with the Aliyev regime,” he added.
While presenting his vision of the return to Artsakh, Nare Simonyan emphasized: “At this stage, we understand that we cannot return to Artsakh in 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, but it is very important to talk about that right, to raise the voice that about 150,000 Artsakh citizens have very important basic rights that are violated. it is the rights to live and create in their homeland, it is also the right to self-determination, which is less talked about, but should be talked about.
On different international platforms, we should talk about the right of return, talk about our violated rights and let the international community or international actors offer options, because when you don’t talk about your problem, everyone can consider that problem closed.”
To the observation that the raising of these just concerns is often rebuked by the authorities, for example, when Pashinyan considers it harmful to talk about ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, or the famous episode of the subway, as well as when the authorities avoid the word “Artsakh”, our interlocutor responded that all this is the result of both internal political and external coercion.
“In the domestic political field, the authorities of the day are trying to find internal enemies and consolidate their electorate against those enemies, those enemies are the primary bearers of national values and national identity: Artsakh, the Armenian Apostolic Church… Nikol Pashinyan uses this technology and, on the one hand, by inventing internal enemies, softens the perception of the external enemy, which is fatal and threatens us every day from the outside, and on the other hand, he mobilizes his electorate before the elections against the internal enemy.
The fact that he considers the people of Artsakh as enemies, calling them brothers and sisters, has been seen many times, and, yes, also in the episode of the subway, when the daughter of the hero of Artsakh showed in a very detailed, very appropriate and competent way that the people of Artsakh did not run away, the people of Artsakh fought, we saw that the theses that were previously circulated on the scale of fakes, sometimes also of his henchmen, Papoyan, Alensimonyan and others, Pashinyan’s mouth said: “Billions of taxes, you lived at the expense of our taxes, you left and ran away” etc., said the public figure from Artsakh.
To the clarification of where the peace agendas will take us, if the issues related to Artsakh are kept quiet, Nare Simonyan replied that by keeping these matters quiet, this is a very clear and clear way not to peace, but to bring new problems for us.
“Not talking about Artsakh, we are opening the way to Syunik, the Syunik corridor, Tavush, the so-called “return” of Azerbaijanis, Yerevan, etc. In other words, by renouncing our rights, we also give the enemy the opportunity to present new demands.
It is clear that this is not the way to peace. mere “peace” was chosen as a brand in the internal political struggle, but on the other hand, it is absurd that a government that has brought the most wars and the most defeats throughout history is talking about peace.
And already the authorities do not even dare to threaten their citizens with war. if we are not elected, there will be a war, even as if they say a month for the war. What does this mean, an agreement with the enemy, what are you hiding?
I am sure that with the way that the authorities of the day are leading us, we will not have peace, but will even more endanger the existence of the Republic of Armenia.
This is not the way of peace, this is the way of elimination,” concluded Nare Simonyan.
Details in the video
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The working tool left in Nikol Pashinyan’s hands is to scare people with war
March: 30, 2026
Nikol Pashinyan announces almost on a daily basis that “if the CP does not form a constitutional majority in the elections, then there will be a war.”
He made another such statement this morning on Facebook live, during which he called on the people to “stand up for peace”. Parallel to all this, Nikol Pashinyan and his teammates do not miss the opportunity to declare that “there is no longer peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan”, without answering the question whether they should remain in power forever so that there is peace in Armenia.
To what extent can Nikol Pashinyan’s threat to the people “there will be a war if I am not in power” affect people’s psychology, can this affect people’s orientation in the elections?
Psychologist Karine Nalchajyan, answering these questions, he said: at this pre-election stage, the tools that Nikol Pashinyan has in his hands are mostly outdated: wooing people, pretending to be a common man, etc.
“The working tool left in Nikol Pashinyan’s hands is to scare people with war. Fear is one of the deepest, most archaic feelings, and war, especially after seeing so much destruction and blood, people probably don’t want war the most.
So, out of the theses put forward by Nikol Pashinyan, only this can work to some extent, but I will not say that it will be very influential. Those people whose consciousness and ability to analyze are in place are not blinded by emotions, they understand very well that this power and peace are as far apart as the earth and the sky. of 168.am Karine Nalchajyan said in a conversation with
According to the psychologist, the situation in which Nikol Pashinyan has put himself, together with his team, is dangerous, because they do not say it openly, but they are already mocking the people.
“All this is from the genre of absurdity, this is a mockery of people, it says: ‘Do whatever you want, your song is sung.’ It is understandable, this causes laughter, disgust and other emotions, and at the same time, Nikol Pashinyan is not idle, he is doing business, he is advancing his plans, and that is in a hurry, for which he occupies the society with nonsense.
So, this behavior of his is already very dangerous, one should not despise and disgust him. With all this, they spoil the collective image of the Armenian nation, reduce the self-esteem of the Armenian people,” Karine Nalchajyan added.
Continuing, the psychologist said that the “color revolutions” that are happening in the world are preceded by a decrease in the self-esteem of nations, therefore, the pranks that are happening today are not done as an end in themselves.
“Today, many of us, don’t we, hear when people say: what kind of nation are we, what kind of people are we? This is what this government wants. Our collective opposition should work on this and raise the self-esteem of our people. If the authorities need the voice of the people, that’s why they took to the streets, that’s why people should understand that their voice is important and with that voice they can change things in this country,” emphasized Karine Nalchajyan.
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168: Pashinyan gave all the keys to Armenia to Alev. Hrant Mikayelyan
March: 30, 2026
Azerbaijan has found a new format to expand its territory at the expense of the Republic of Armenia. What is presented as the process of border demarcation between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not actually demarcation and demarcation, but a process of new occupation of Armenian territories without firing a shot. He expressed such a view 168 TVof Revue on the air of the program political scientist Hrant Mikayelyan՝ talking about the possible reasons for the decision to change the direction of the Georgia-Armenia gas pipeline.
The political scientist puts forward the hypothesis that the transfer of the 5.5-kilometer section of the Georgia-Armenia gas pipeline at the request of the Armenian side may also be related to the process of Armenia-Azerbaijan demarcation and new concessions.
“The following is happening today: Azerbaijan demands to receive all the directions where Armenia has advanced, and the directions where Azerbaijan has advanced, the Azerbaijani side, of course, is not going to give, that is, this process is not demarcation and demarcation, but in fact it is a process of new territorial conquests by Azerbaijan, simply without firing, with the agreement of the Armenian government and on the condition that there is no war, because Rubinyan and his ilk constantly talk that “peace you have to caress, caress, and in order to keep it you have to give in all the time”, they don’t know any other way to keep peace, now Azerbaijan is making new demands, and we see that Pashinyan has to give in some other parts as well. Regarding this specific episode, it will be clarified, but in general, we can comment that Azerbaijan is considering in different ways how to conquer new territories from Armenia.” commented Hrant Mikayelyan.
The political scientist recalled the Azerbaijani demand to hand over Verin Voskepar and several other villages in Tavush and the handover of the Goris-Kapan interstate road in 2021. in September, noting that, in fact, it was demarcation without demarcation.
“The Azerbaijanis, for example, can enter there one day and create a direct connection, and Azerbaijan can send in troops and share Tavush. there is a northern part, there is a southern part, and if the Kirantsov advance and Verin Voskepar are taken under their control, they will already completely share the territory of Tavush. Thus, this is just one example: how Azerbaijan has advances in various strategic border areas, which not only improve Azerbaijan’s position, but also worsen our situation. Let me remind you one more thing: demarcation without demarcation, which happened during the surrender of the Goris-Kapan road, when Azerbaijan seized and closed the road, the main road that connected Armenia with Iran and the south of Armenia with other territories of Armenia. This is the same format: Azerbaijan is trying to worsen the situation in Armenia, and the Armenian government is playing games, pretending to achieve peace.”
According to the political scientist: “When you give what you have to the enemy, so that the enemy can use it against you, it is not peace, it is a different type of war… And then, of course, you can threaten war, because all the keys and all the opportunities have been given to Azerbaijan for war.” added Hrant Mikayelyan.
The political scientist emphasizes that in 1918-20 The Republic of Azerbaijan, which considers itself the successor of the extremist union called “Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan”, actually has territorial ambitions for almost the entire territory of the Republic of Armenia and does not recognize the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia.
In this context, Hrant Mikayelyan also referred to the 1975 map of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR, which was accepted as the basis for demarcation, noting that they are trying to mislead the public with statements about “cadastre paper” and “internationally recognized borders”, while the concept of “legal force” does not really exist at the international level.
“Of course, there are 10 basic international principles that are continuously violated, and among the first violators are Turkey and Azerbaijan, and nothing happens to them, for example, Turkey has occupied many areas in the north of Syria and is not returning them, it has also occupied Northern Cyprus, and where are the internationally recognized borders, or who forces Turkey to leave those areas?
Thus, legal force exists only when the parties have reached an agreement, the international community has recognized, there are force mechanisms that ensure the implementation of the agreement. If all these mechanisms are present, including the balance of power that ensures the protection of borders, then yes, but if we see that one side is constantly imposing, then it is clear that there is no peace and no territorial demarcation is taking place.
By the way, why is the map of 1989 not accepted as a basis, with the demarcation of which, for example, the Sotk mine completely passed within the borders of Soviet Armenia, but Azerbaijan takes the Soviet map of 1975, which is the most favorable for it? Very good. We accepted. But even this is not accepted by Azerbaijan as a fact, because after 2020, Azerbaijan has advanced about 220-250 km, and they have occupied our dominant heights. At the moment, the Azerbaijanis are located at an altitude of 3,200 meters, our forces are at an altitude of 2,600 meters, and our forces are much less protected, which are objectively in a vulnerable state, and all this is happening not because Azerbaijan is establishing peace, but on the contrary, Azerbaijan is preparing for war or at least preparing to constantly impose its desired solutions on Armenia. explains the political scientist.
According to the political scientist: It is beneficial for Pashinyan that Aliyev threatens Armenia with war.
Referring to the regional situation, Hrant Mikayelyan added that the war against Iran will have a very significant impact on the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia.
Full interview in the video.
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RFE/RL – Iran Thanks Armenia For ‘Humanitarian Support’
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has thanked Armenia for what he described as humanitarian support provided to Iran during its ongoing war with the United States and Israel.
“The support of the Armenian government and people to the Iranian people in the evacuation of Iranians and humanitarian aid is highly commendable,” he said in a weekend post on X. “The centuries-old ties between Iran and Armenia have once again shown their strength in a difficult time, and these brotherly steps will remain in the memory of the Iranian people.”
Araghchi’s Armenian-language tweet followed his phone call with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the two men discussed “consequences of the continued US and the Israeli military aggression against Iran.” In a statement, the ministry said Mirzoyan offered Yerevan’s condolences over the deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, other officials as well as civilians killed in U.S.-Israeli air strikes.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry released a much shorter readout of the call. It said Mirzoyan discussed with Araghchi “possibilities for resolving the situation” around Iran and “humanitarian issues.” It did not elaborate.
The Armenian government has reacted cautiously to the war, declining to criticize the U.S.-Israeli military campaign. Mirzoyan said last week that it has delivered medicines and other humanitarian assistance to the Islamic Republic. He did not reveal the volume of the aid.
The government had not officially reported the shipment. Its critics claimed that it was afraid of displeasing the U.S.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s administration has sought to reorient Armenia towards the West in recent years. It agreed last year to open a U.S.-administered transit corridor for Azerbaijan what would run along Armenia’s strategic border with Iran.
In the months leading up to the ongoing war, Iranian officials spoke out against the transit arrangement. They feared that it could undermine Armenian control of the border and lead to U.S. security presence there. Yerevan sought to allay their concerns. Some observers believe that Tehran will now be even more opposed to the planed Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.
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American University Of Armenia Responds To Iran’s Threats
In what it called a “precautionary measure,” the American University of Armenia (AUA) switched to online classes on Monday following neighboring Iran’s threats to target U.S.-affiliated campuses in the region.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) made the threats after U.S.-Israeli airstrikes reportedly destroyed two Iranian universities on the night from Friday to Saturday.
“If the U.S. government wants its universities in the region to be free from retaliation … it must condemn the bombing of the universities in an official statement by 12 noon on Monday, March 30, Tehran time,” the IRGC said, according to Iranian news agencies.
It warned “all employees, professors, and students of American universities in the region and residents of their surrounding areas” to stay a kilometer away from campuses. The warning seemed primarily addressed to several U.S. universities that have branches in Gulf Arab states.
“Due to the threat made by Iran to target American universities in West Asia and the Middle East, all AUA classes on Monday, March 30, will be held fully online,” read a statement released by the Yerevan-based university.
“In taking this step, we emphasize that we have received no direct threats against our university, and no indication that we are in any kind of danger, so there is no cause for alarm,” it said. “This is simply a precautionary measure, taken out of an abundance of caution, because the safety of our community is of paramount importance.”
The AUA did not explicitly say when it will resume in-person teaching. It was also not clear whether the university administration consulted with the Armenian government before announcing its decision. The government did not immediately react to it.
The AUA, which is affiliated with University of California, was founded in 1991 with the help of Armenian philanthropists in the United States as well as Armenia’s first post-Communist government. It has since expanded significantly and become of the country’s most reputable universities.
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RFE/RL – Pashinian’s Visit To Yerevan Church Followed By Arrests
- Naira Bulghadarian
Two teenage brothers and another man were arrested on Sunday after confronting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian at a church in Yerevan.
Surrounded by his bodyguards and aides, Pashinian unexpectedly arrived at the packed St. Anne’s Church during a Palm Sunday Mass held there. He began making his way out of it shortly afterwards, with the bodyguards clearing the way for his passage. They upset a young worshipper who told them not to push him and said he wants to keep “standing in the middle” of the church.
“Don’t look at me like that,” the man, subsequently identified as Davit Minasian, then told Pashinian before attempting to slap him on the shoulder.
Videos of the incident showed a Pashinian bodyguard knocking down one of the brothers moments later. Meanwhile, the premier signaled to his entourage to not react to the man and to carry on. They left the church amid angry cries from other believers.
Minasian was arrested right after the liturgy along with his twin brother Mikael and another citizen. Footage posted online showed several police officers dragging the 18-year-old high school student from the church courtyard in downtown Yerevan.
All three men remained in police custody but were not formally charged with any crime as of Monday evening. Another law-enforcement agency, the Investigative Committee, said it launched a criminal investigation into hooliganism committed against a state official performing their duties or engaging in political activities.
Vartuhi Elbakian, a lawyer representing the brothers, insisted that they did not commit any crimes when she spoke to reporters outside the Interior Ministry building in Yerevan picketed by their classmates and the latter’s parents demanding their release.
“The boys to go to Mass every Sunday,” she said. “They are very pious.”
Elbakian also insisted that the Minasians “have no connection” to the third detainee, opposition activist Gevorg Gevorgian. The latter stood next to them during the incident.
Pashinian’s loyalists blamed it on Catholicos Garegin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church whom Pashinian has been controversially trying to depose. The chief of the prime minister’s staff, Arayik Harutiunian, accused Garegin of turning the church into a political “sect.” Opposition figures countered that the incident was the result of what they see as Pashinian’s provocative behavior.
Pashinian has spent the last few weekends touring various parts of Armenia and talking to people in the streets on what look like campaign trips connected with the June 7 parliamentary elections. Some of those citizens caused him to lose his temper by openly denouncing his policies or complaining about his government’s track record.
In the most scandalous of those incidents caught on camera, Pashinian raged at a female refugee from Nagorno-Karabakh who blamed him for Azerbaijan’s recapture of the region that forced its ethnic Armenian population to flee to Armenia. The premier branded the Karabakh Armenian as “fugitives” and said they have no moral right to denounce him, sparking a storm of criticism from not only his detractors but even some sympathizers. He later apologized for his outburst.
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California Courier Online, March 30, 2026
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has repeatedly misled the Armenian public by making false promises since coming to power in 2018.
To preserve his seat, Pashinyan has used three ploys:
1) Promise the gullible people a rosy future using the slogan, “There is a future” (abaka ga);
2) Exploit the naïve public’s blind trust by making false promises;
3) Blame all his errors and the country’s current problems on former leaders, even though he has been in charge for eight years.
Whenever anyone points out his mistakes and deceitful promises, Pashinyan either denies ever making such statements or dodges the question. His excuse is that, since the people elected him, he can do whatever he wants, even though he never told his electors that he would hand over Artsakh to Azerbaijan and relinquish part of Armenia’s territories to the enemy state.
Since the parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place on June 7, Pashinyan is once again busy misleading the public. He and his ministers exaggerate their accomplishments, and act as if Armenia did not exist before 2018, when they came to power.
In order to fool the public, Pashinyan described in 2020 what his imaginary Armenia would look like in 2050, knowing full well that neither he nor his political party will be around by then. He called the plan “A Development Strategy for Armenia until 2050.”
His plan for 2050 is no different from many of his other fake promises. According to the well-known saying, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” Armenia’s citizens must finally wake up and realize that they are being deceived repeatedly by their incompetent but cunning leader.
Here is the list of Pashinyan’s 18 unrealistic goals to be accomplished by 2050:
• Increase Armenia’s population to at least five million.
• Create 1.5 million jobs.
• Overcome poverty through work.
• Increase Armenia’s GDP 20-fold.
• Increase the average salary seven-fold.
• Make a healthy lifestyle a national chracteristic; increase life expectancy to 90 years.
• Have the world’s most combat-ready army per capita.
• Have one of the 10 most efficient intelligence services in the world.
• Make learning a national way of life.
• Have at least three universities among the world’s top 200 ranked universities.
• Turn Armenia into a high-tech industrial country.
• Have at least five high-tech companies valued at $10 billion or more and at least 10,000 operating startups.
• Ensure a healthy environment; make Armenia climate-resilient and energy-efficient.
• Double Armenia’s forested areas.
• Win 25 Olympic gold medals.
• Make the Armenian national football team the winner of the European and/or World Championship.
• Win the title of world individual chess champion.
• Increase to 15 million the annual number of tourists visiting Armenia.
Many of these 18 goals are unattainable. Six years after Pashinyan’s announcement, there has been hardly any progress. Even though there is nothing wrong with having personal or national goals, to achieve them one needs to take the following steps:
1) Set realistic goals with a reasonable chance of success. Rather than getting up on a stage and saying whatever comes to mind, there needs to be an in-depth study before making haphazard public announcements.
2) Ask experts to develop a detailed, realistic, and achievable plan of action. The head of government must first consult specialists in various fields to develop a roadmap for getting the country from here to there.
3) Provide a timeline and incremental milestones. It is not enough to state what you want to achieve by 2050. The government must have a detailed plan that specifies actions to be taken each year until 2050.
4) Include the public in setting national priorities. The Prime Minister should not ignore the will of the people and singlehandedly decide what is best for citizens. He should organize local conferences in each region to ask the public what they would like to see accomplished by 2050. The government should also conduct public polls to obtain reliable data about citizens’ interests.
5) Most importantly, ensure competent leadership now. Before worrying about 2050 — or even 2026 — the country must have a competent leader. Armenia’s citizens have the opportunity in this June’s parliamentary elections to decide who can best lead the country now. Otherwise, they may not have a country by 2050.
Anar Rustamov formed a fake durable medical equipment company, or “DME” to fraudulently bill taxpayer funded Medicare for $90 million in supplies that were not needed or received according to DOJ officials.
Rustomov’s San Francisco Bay Area company Dublin Helping Hands was submitting the claims the Feds say.
The listed patients were unaware of the submissions and the referring medical provider listed did not authorize the claims, according to the indictment.
The claims listed everything from back braces to glucose monitors.
The fraudulent activity took place from October of 2024 and peaked in April of 2025 when the company submitted claims totaling more than $49 million.
“The billing volume and timing was designed to maximize the amount of money paid out before the fraud was detected,” the indictment said.
Rustamov is a wanted man, and officials believe he’s on the run. Special agent Robb R. Breeden said the agency will “pursue those who attempt to exploit federal health care programs — no matter where they attempt to hide.”
If convicted, Rustomov faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each violation.
— April 15th Capitol Hill Commemoration and Congressional Staff Briefing will Link 1915 and 1923 Genocides to Present-Day Armenian Security and Artsakh’s Right of Return
WASHINGTON, DC –
Members of Congress will join with Armenian Americans and allies from across the United States on Wednesday, April 15th for the annual Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide observance and a Congressional briefing challenging the failure of theArmenia-Azerbaijan peace process to address Turkey and Azerbaijan’s unanswered crimes against the Armenian nation.The Capitol Hill program opens with a 1:00 p.m. Congressional briefing, “Peace Without Justice in the South Caucasus,” hosted by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) in Cannon HOB Room 130. Later that evening, the Armenian Genocide Congressional Commemoration – titled “Armenian Genocide: From Remembrance to Responsibility | Justice for a Century of Genocide | Armenia | Artsakh | 1915-2023” – will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Rayburn HOB Foyer.
Both events will be live webcast on ANCA social media channels.
“Remembrance – a moral imperative, necessary to combat denial – is a requirement of truth. Truth in the service of justice; justice in the service of security – the key to lasting peace,”said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “On April 15th, the Armenian American community and our Congressional allies will reaffirm our collective commitment to justice – the release of Armenian hostages, the return of Artsakh refugees, and the restoration of desecrated Christian holy sites.”
Capitol Hill Armenian and Artsakh Genocide Observance
The evening Congressional Armenian Genocide Commemoration is co-hosted by the ANCA and the Armenian Assembly of America, in cooperation with the Congressional Armenian Caucus. It marks the most recent iteration of a decades-long tradition of annual Capitol Hill observances dating back to the first Capitol Hill commemoration, in 1965, marking the 50th anniversary of this crime.
This year’s program comes as Turkey and Azerbaijan’s genocidal crimes against the Armenian nation – from 1915 to 2023 – remain unaddressed and ongoing. Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives, including Artsakh leaders, continue to languish in Azerbaijani detention. More than 150,000 Artsakh Armenians remain forcibly displaced from their homes. And Azerbaijan continues to occupy sovereign Armenian territory while pressing demands designed to foreclose any prospect of justice, accountability, or return.
Bus transportation to the Rayburn HOB Foyer is available, departing from Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church, 4906 Flint Drive, Bethesda, MD 20816, at 4:30 p.m. Buses will return immediately after the program. To reserve a spot, email [email protected] or call Elizabeth Chouldjian at (703) 585-8254.
Capitol Hill Staff Briefing: Peace without Justice in the South Caucasus
The 1:00 p.m. briefing is open to congressional staff and members of the public and will offer an expert assessment of the outstanding humanitarian and security issues that risk undermining any just and durable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
In August 2025, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev initialed a draft peace agreement at the White House. While presented as a diplomatic breakthrough, the agreement drew immediate concern from human rights and security experts for its failure to address critical unresolved issues — including the release of Armenian prisoners of war, the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from sovereign Armenian territory, the protection of Armenian cultural heritage in Artsakh, and the right of return for the more than 150,000 Armenians forcibly displaced from their homes in 2023.
The White House summit also announced the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” – or TRIPP – a proposal under which Armenia would grant a U.S.-operated consortium exclusive development and management rights over a multi-modal transport corridor connecting Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhichevan and onward to Turkey, under a 49-year lease extendable to 99 years.
The briefing will feature a round table discussion with two subject-matter experts
Dr. Robert Krikorian: Retired Senior State Department Official with more than two decades as an intelligence analyst and senior adviser in State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and Ph.D. in History and Eurasian Studies from Harvard University.
Karnig Kerkonian, Esq.: International Human Rights Lawyer and founding partner of Kerkonian Dajani LLP, with expertise in complex litigation, international sanctions regimes, and public international law; J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School; Diploma in Public International Law from Cambridge University.
To register for the 1:00pm briefing, visit anca.org/rsvp.
ANCA Legislative Priorities
The ANCA continues to press Congress to take concrete action alongside any peace process, advancing three key pieces of bipartisan legislation:
The Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act of 2025 (H.R.5369), led by Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), directs the Trump-Vance Administration to review the applicability of Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act sanctions against Azerbaijani officials responsible for war crimes, human rights abuses, and the ongoing illegal detention of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives.
The ARMENIA Security Partnership Act (H.R.6840), led by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), would prohibit the president from waiving Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan unless the Aliyev regime takes concrete steps toward a lasting peace with Armenia.
The Armenian Genocide Education Act (H.R.2585), led by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) and joined by Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Ted Lieu (D-CA), and David Valadao (R-CA), directs the Library of Congress to implement a nationwide education program about the genocide committed by the Ottoman Turkish Government from 1915 to 1923 against Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites, and other Christians.
Armenian Americans and allies are encouraged to contact their Senators and Representatives to encourage them to attend the April 15th events and to visit anca.org/action for the latest advocacy resources.
California is being investigated by a powerful congressional committee after the Post exposed rampant hospice fraud that’s cost taxpayers more than $100 million.
The House Oversight Committee sent shockwaves across the Golden State on Monday after launching the bombshell probe into widespread Medicare fraud on the West Coast.
The investigation comes off the back of the Post’s revelations multiple “ghost” hospices were allegedly billing the government while operating from buildings that have been abandoned for years.
The secret network included empty storefronts, auto parts shops and other offices that were not in use, while other addresses did not exist at all.
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee demanded all documents and communications relating to audits and oversight of federally-funded hospice programs be handed over.
Chair James Comer sent a damning letter to Governor Gavin Newsom, claiming the state has a “well-documented history of fraud in its hospice programs” and estimated the total amount at over $105 million.
The letter said: “Recent reporting has revealed alarming evidence of fraudulent activity in California’s hospice programs, including agencies overbilling Medicare and fraudulently enrolling beneficiaries without their knowledge.”
It added: “The Committee is concerned your administration does not have sufficient internal controls to prevent and detect fraud and is not conducting proper oversight of these hospice programs.
“As a result, Americans across the country are paying for California’s rampant hospice fraud and vulnerable patients are being exploited.”
The committee said its auditors estimate LA County hospice providers overbilled Medicare by at least $105 million in a single year, adding it had seen a 1,500% increase in registrations since 2010 — resulting in more than 2,800 providers across the state.
A Post investigation earlier this month obtained data detailing hundreds of suspect hospices and home agencies across the state, with numerous instances of agencies listed at the same location.
St Rita’s Home Health, which data shows billed Medicare about $4.3 million between 2019 and the first-half of 2025, was registered to a vacant Van Nuys strip mall with a “for rent” sign outside.
A similar story was about six miles away in North Hollywood, where another building that was listed as operating 12 hospice and home health agencies had the same sign hanging out front.
The Post contacted several of the companies allegedly operating inside the building.
One hung up when asked to confirm its location, another said it moved — despite still being listed on the CDPH database at the North Hollywood address — and a third went to a voicemail for ”Alexander from Southern California Auto.”
One alleged hospice fraudster had the audacity to show off her $4 million Carmel-by-the-Sea home for a news outlet just days before being arrested and charged with stealing $3.2 million from Medicare.
The Post’s findings were consistent with what whistleblowers and industry insiders have described elsewhere — an epidemic of medical scams, particularly in and around Los Angeles.
Dr Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, told the Post earlier this month: “Thirty to 40% of all the hospices in America are in Los Angeles, so there’s just no way they are all legitimate.”
He swiftly cut off payments to suspicious operations across the city and said every hospice in the state was under investigation.
California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton told the Post: “‘Until I’m governor next January, it’s only through federal investigation and enforcement that we can expect real accountability for Gavin Newsom, who falsely claims that he’s cleaned up hospice fraud in California.”
Newsom came out swinging after the investigation was announced, claiming a moratorium he imposed in 2021 stopped “bad actors” entering the system.
A spokesman said: “In 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation placing a moratorium on new hospice licenses – a policy that remains in effect today, preventing bad actors from entering the system while strengthening oversight of existing providers.
“This work is delivering results, as more than 280 hospice licenses have been revoked over the past two years and an additional 300 providers are under investigation.
“The state continues to take coordinated action to suspend Medi-Cal payments, revoke licenses, and pursue prosecutions.”
Experienced hospice provider Kevin Tutunjian, founder of In the Arms of Grace Hospice, acknowledged fraud exists but defended the industry.
He said: “Blatant fraud is someone who just bills Medicare without the individual knowing. That is one thing.”
“But there are organizations trying to do the right thing, but maybe they just are ill-equipped to deliver quality care for whatever reason.”
The House committee has asked Newsom to provide records related to anti-fraud practices, audits, Medicare billing and other information by April 6.
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