Opinion: The University of Utah has betrayed its Armenian community

Emil Lazarian
May 28 2026
The University of Utah has committed deep and egregious wrongs against its Armenian community and must quickly course-correct.
By Noah Wright, Opinion Writer
May 28, 2026

 

April 2025 commemorated the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, a racially motivated mass extermination of the Armenian people by the Ottoman Turkish government. Turkey to this day denies the genocide, writing it out of their history books.

The University of Utah enables genocide denialism by allowing leading genocide deniers to promulgate misinformation about the 1915 atrocity. The U must teach the Armenian Genocide as historical fact and distance itself from Turkish state narratives.

The Armenian Genocide

Genocide refers to the systematic extermination of a people to end their existence. The atrocities committed in 1915 resulted in the death of approximately 1.5 million Armenians.

The Young Turk faction came to power in the Ottoman Empire in 1913, intending to create a ‘Pan-Turkish’ state. This meant non-Turkish minorities, including and especially Armenians, had to be systematically exterminated.

First terminating Armenian intellectuals, artists and leaders, the Young Turks then conscripted, disarmed and murdered the remaining Armenian men. Surviving women and children were then marched to death, their bones left to rot in the desert and in some cases sold for profit.

Of the roughly 2 million Armenian Christians living in the Ottoman Empire, approximately 1.5 million were massacred The remaining survivors were forcibly Islamized or exiled. The rest of the world failed to unilaterally respond to the Armenian holocaust, leading to the possibility repeated genocide attempts.

Richard Markosian, founder and publisher of Utah-based magazine Utah Stories and a former U alum, is the great-grandson of Armenian Genocide refugees, including his great-grandmother. “She was the only survivor in Armenia,” Markosian said. “She watched her mom die on a death march… It’s bizarre to me that there’s anybody who would deny it.”

Without facing any significant backlash, Turkey continues to get away with murder by planting its state narrative in the annals of great American universities like the U. Armenian Genocide deniers create a shroud of doubt and uncertainty around the genocide. By alleging a simple bloody war or justified state repression, they shift the narrative from an ‘Armenian Genocide’ to an ‘Armenian question’.

The U’s history with Armenian Genocide denialism

Pure and unadulterated hatred is what motivated the Armenian Genocide. The U perpetuates this through questionable links with the Azerbaijani state. U political science professor Dr. Hakan Yavuz is often at the center of these controversies.

In 2023, Dr. Yavuz helped host a birthday party for Heydar Aliyev, father of the current Azerbaijani dictator. Days later, Azerbaijani state issued a press release on the event including comments from Yavuz that condemn Armenians. Faculty have since denied the authenticity of the quotes, but they still remain a part of official University communications.

Investigative journalist Paul Sookiasian attempted to clarify the situation with the U to no avail. “CivilNet reached out to the University of Utah to inquire as to why one of its professors allegedly issued false statements attributed to Utah faculty members… for an Azerbaijani government propaganda article,” Sookiasian wrote. “A source who is familiar with the matter has informed CivilNet that the University of Utah’s administration has advised at least one person involved not to comment.”

Dr. Yavuz has pivoted the output of the U’s Turkish Studies Center towards Armenian issues, often with the collaboration of noted genocide denier Michael Gunter. The Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) funds the Turkish Studies Project at the U. The TCA is a promoter of Armenian Genocide denial.

Sookiasian explains in his investigation that the U has gained notoriety for its role in Armenian genocide denial among academics. “Dr. Yavuz has been… described by the late Professor Richard Hovannisian as having ‘become a major figure in the trade of contemporary efforts to deny that Armenians suffered genocide,’” Sookiasian wrote. “Armenian Genocide deniers… have had their manuscripts published by the University of Utah Press through the efforts of Dr. Yavuz.”

Why they deny

The state of Utah has a long history of good relations with Armenia. Utah and Armenia are geographically and climatically similar and attract a growing community of Armenian expatriates. Utah has independently recognized the Armenian Genocide by an act of congress. Thus, it’s a little hard to fathom Utah’s flagship university funding the very work of Armenian Genocide denialism. But that’s exactly what’s happening.

Markosian believes the U should take a stand by addressing the Armenian Genocide head-on. “I would hope the response from the U would be to make a statement [that] we believe and accept that the genocide did, in fact, occur…” Markosian said. “It seems like a lot of professors’ goal is not to just educate, but it is to indoctrinate… Their goal as a professor should be to teach facts and truth. I don’t know if that is so related to why that professor is able to write information about denialism… I would imagine that all professors are giving far more of their opinions in the curriculum than ever before.”

The blood of 1.5 million innocent Armenian Christians taints any money earned by Dr. Yavuz’s relationship to the TCA. Correcting these injustices is not a favor for Armenians at the U. It’s an extension of the University’s commitment to teaching truth and understanding multiple viewpoints.

Curriculum that reinforces skepticism of the events of the Armenian Genocide leads students away from historical truth. To end this academic atrocity, the U must rewrite this coursework and reevaluate relationships with staff like Dr. Hakan Yavuz. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” said historian George Santayana.

The U must stop erasing the Armenian Genocide. The U needs to repair its relationships with the Armenian community, erase falsehoods and teach the truth to all students.

 https://dailyutahchronicle.com/2026/05/28/opinion-the-university-of-utah-has-betrayed-its-armenian-community/

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Russia was persuading many countries to support Armenia’s membership in EAEU

Hambik Zargarian

May 27, 2026

168TVof “Trigger” the guest of the program The director of the Center for European-Asian Studies is Andrey Rusakov:

During the program, topics related to EU-EEU relations, possible changes in Armenia’s foreign policy, the history of Armenia’s membership in the EEU, benefits from this cooperation, trade with the EEU countries, possible affected sectors in case of leaving the Union, logistics in the South Caucasus, possible risks for Armenian exports, as well as Russia’s interests in the South Caucasus were discussed.

Hayk Derzyan




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Who will cover this debt? Armenia’s budget and people, and diversification

Emil Lazarian

May 27, 2026

Armenia will take a new loan from the World Bank to supplement the state budget. appropriate the decision was held at today’s government session. It is noted that with the loan amount of 170.3 million euros, the legislation “On Economic Competition” will be improved, additional legal guarantees will be provided to investors, and the powers of the Commission for the Protection of Competition and Consumer Rights of Armenia will be expanded to prevent price speculation and other anti-competitive actions.

Basically, this loan is another debt, which will become a new burden for citizens, especially in the context of the state debt, which has increased by almost 8 billion in recent years.

168․amin his comments about the debt policy economist Hrant Mikayelyan mentioned: “We see that the government of the day makes very big promises during the pre-election phase or makes some expenses that were not even planned in the budget. for political reasons, the government spends resources that will later lead to greater debt.

And who will close this debt? The budget of Armenia and the people of Armenia, at the expense of which the budget is created.”

Read also

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  • Russia expects concreteness from Armenia. TRIPP is necessary to bypass Iran and Russia in logistics between Asia and Europe. Sergey Melkonyan
  • EAEU on the verge of politicization. Will the rules of the game be preserved for Armenia?

By the way, in the last one or two years, for example, 102 million euros of credit was provided by the WB to prepare for the introduction of universal health insurance and to repair polyclinics, 70.4 million euros for the program to reduce irrigation and drinking water losses and increase the climate resilience of systems, $100 million approved in 2023 and 2026. $200 million in loans approved in March (Economic Transformation Program) aimed at digitizing the business environment, promoting small businesses and attracting investments, etc.

Referring to another political and economic issue that has become more acute these days, the toughening statements from Russia about the EU-EEU election and the possible positioning of Armenia in that context, the specialist first noticed why these two associations cannot objectively be combined.

“There are two reasons: economic and political. The economic reason is as follows: both the EAEU and the EU are closed zones, and if any country joins both, then the line opens between those 2, by which their customs border is violated and it is possible to re-export countless goods and without duties. Thus, the meaning of customs unions is lost, and Russia is especially worried because its market is smaller and less protected.

As for the political reason. because in the last 2 years, the European Union began to declare Russia as an enemy, a possible military opponent, and recently, for example, provided Ukraine with a military loan of 90 billion dollars, therefore, it considers any relationship, development in the direction of Russia as hostile.”

According to Hrant Mikayelyan, the view from the government circles that the current policy has a tendency to ensure the diversification of Armenia and reduce dependence on the Russian Federation, does not correspond to reality, because with these steps Armenia will not achieve any diversification, it will only break the relations with Russia.

“I claim that this was the goal, motivated by the policy of the West itself. In other words, there is no goal of diversification. it is just a propaganda statement. The reality is that there is a desire to reduce the level of relations with Russia,” he added.

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168: They brought the papers and said, “Dear boy, sign it.” Abraham Gasparyan

Antranik Varosian

May 27, 2026

In the “Pressing” program Satik Seyranyan the guest “Genesis Armenia” cerebral center-foundation director, political of sciences candidate, associate professor Abraham Gasparyan is.

The main theses of the interview are below.

  • The USA approaches the issue very pragmatically. there is a problem that needs to be solved. The US is reshaping the new global security architecture, China and Russia are challenging it. That’s why they don’t pay attention to small problems and states. What would Marco Rubio say here? Everything could be arranged with one call. All that, without the participation of this government, has already been negotiated. They brought the papers, they said, dear boy, we have brought them, sign them:
  • The strategic document is a long-term cooperation plan, the framework agreement is more technical and bypasses the relevant schemes to implement these plans.
  • Are there no normal translators in our country, or are they intentionally mistranslating documents? There is a huge difference between the Armenian and English documents of the framework agreement on strategic cooperation on the RA-US TRIPP project signed yesterday. Where will TRIPP be implemented, what is its geography? does not appear. In other words, Aliyev was right when he said that I should not see the face of an Armenian.

Read also

  • This was a deal: power in exchange for Syunik. In 2021, he lit a candle in front of Putin’s picture, now Trump’s. Why was Rubio coming to Armenia to talk to Lavrov from the plane? Suren Surenyants
  • There is a tough competition in the world for rare metals. Syunik is becoming a zone of global interest. the key issue is Armenia’s sovereignty. Vahe Davtyan
  • Russia expects concreteness from Armenia. TRIPP is necessary to bypass Iran and Russia in logistics between Asia and Europe. Sergey Melkonyan
  • When you sign an intergovernmental agreement, if you are a state and you sign with a state, it is not the same as if you sign with a private company. If you sign a contract with a private company, to which you give 74% of the profit, in case of escalation of the situation, you can say: step aside, I have to protect my safety. I will tell in clear points how this government has trapped Armenia by not giving the entire package of territorial control to the USA, but taking it upon itself. There is unclear wording in the document. All day long, the speaker of the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia uses the wording “Armenia”. What is it, which Armenia is it about? the word Apart from that, according to the document, Armenia should take all responsibility for road safety on its own. This is already a problem.
  • What they objected to, they signed. This is not a diplomatic document. If 10 diplomats negotiated this document, all 10 should be fired.
  • Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is a member of the largest Jewish lobbying organization in the US and has close ties to Jewish oligarchic circles. You are opening the gates to the big American organizations created by Kushner, which will come here, supposedly to invest, but not pay you taxes. Those American companies come here, violating all points of the EIA. No environmental norms are observed, and if the USA sues us again, the USA will not answer, but Armenia. The USA literally says: you have to give your territory, I will do whatever I want. Do you want me to write “sovereignty” several times in order to bait your people?:
  • Armenia only benefited from this document was the signature of the US on paper. Soft power at the core of American foreign policy rests on strategic absorption. This was practiced both during the USSR and after the end of the Cold War and now. When you are induced to be absorbed of your own free will, a mutually beneficial cooperation is allegedly taking place.

  • Who is talking today about the arrest of Nicolás Maduro or his wife? no one
  • Horizontal disengagement implies American patronage. The situation would have been the same in the case of the same Zurich agreements, if the former authorities of Armenia had not shown principle and the signing of the documents had not failed. These authorities do not have any complex, the situation is the same now: Armenia is hindering you, let me take the patronage.
  • China embargoed its mining of rare and precious metals. The US is looking for new markets. Ukraine’s version came first here. They agreed with Russia, they shared. Russia blocked the road in Africa. Now Armenia is giving territory to the USA, what will the superpower states like China and Russia say – you are doing well, Armenia, that you are changing vectors in one day? 
  • States with imperial traditions and diplomatic institutional memory react in a completely different way.
  • When the Russians block the way of the Armenian agricultural products producer, they do not harm the government, but generate hatred towards you among the Armenian people. 
  • If Nikol Pashinyan is reborn, we will not have Armenia with today’s borders, we will have some semi-state entity. First, spiritual Armenia will be finally crushed, the third most powerful wave of emigration will open. Quality pulp will not live in the garbage. Do you seriously believe that the sectarians are concerned that we will not have a homeland?:

  • Conservative think tanks like IRI have one principle of operation: they operate where American interests are protected and human rights are paramount. Seriously, can this government protect American interests? Who has a guarantee that in case of serious Russian pressure, the USA will not be thrown?
  • We have made Armenia the epicenter of the trap. Armenia has always become a bone of contention because of fools. A state like China, on which states like Russia and the USA are dependent, some small group like Armenia makes this area a point of conflict between China, Russia and the USA.
  • Nikolism is raging in Armenia as an ideological terrorism. People don’t talk, they are afraid to talk. These threaten to harm the child. People say, “To hell with me, they won’t touch my children and grandchildren.”:
  • Even if Pashinyan loses, this will not go away without blood, this is bloodthirsty, it will do everything to start a civil war. After receiving the three-finger combination from three presidents, this continues to be abysmal:
  • He is defeated in Yerevan, our task is to encourage the maximum number of people to vote. If we can secure at least 55% participation in Yerevan, the balance of power will be broken. If Yerevan said no to this with a high percentage, it will have no chance. Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor… The choice of these 3 cities will be decisive:
  • In the last week, the dose of anti-Russianness will be increased by the government operating here and the velvet machines that serve it.

  • Dear friends, seeing the face of this, sugar, pressure, what we have is rising. Even children’s lives are poisoned. If you think you shouldn’t live in the same space where these breathe in and out, if your intellect is offended by the sound of this, this is our fight, by all means go to the polls. Dear compatriots, we have a chance to be saved. it is not for us to despair, to be disappointed. Don’t be afraid, take 15 minutes out of your daily routine, go to the election. Let’s change the system and ideology… Let’s end the consequences of humiliation and national humiliation on June 7:

Details in the video.




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RFE/RL – Moscow Threatens To Hike Gas Price For Armenia

Emil Lazarian
May 27, 2026


RUSSIA – Employees work at a gas drilling rig at the Bovanenkovo gas field on the Yamal peninsula in the Arctic circle on May 21, 2019.

After restricting imports of some Armenian goods, Russia has threatened to stop supplying natural gas to Armenia at a significant discount if Yerevan continues its European integration policy.

The Russian daily Kommersant was the first to report late on Tuesday that Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev has sent a letter to the Armenian government saying that its efforts to join the European Union “do not correspond to the nature of the partnership between the governments and economic entities of our countries.” He said Moscow could therefore suspend or scrap a 2013 agreement to exempt Russian natural gas as well as oil products and diamonds purchased by Armenia from Russian export duties.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed the report, saying that the Russian Embassy in Yerevan delivered Tsivilev’s letter to the Armenian Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures on Wednesday.

“The document records Moscow’s intention to revise the intergovernmental agreement of December 2, 2013 on cooperation in the supply of energy resources and rough diamonds,” Zakharova told the RIA Novosti news agency.

The agreement has served as the basis for the gas price for Armenia which is set well below international market levels. It was signed shortly before Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), a Russian-led trade bloc. President Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders have warned in recent weeks that the South Caucasus country can no longer remain part of the bloc while seeking eventual membership in the EU. They have also called into question the discount essential for the Armenian economy.

“We supply gas to Armenia at a quarter of its price, to our own detriment (the price in Armenia is $177.50 per thousand cubic meters, while in Europe it’s $633 per thousand cubic meters),” Russian parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Friday. “During these difficult times, we are supporting Armenia’s economy and its citizens. What we get in return is [Prime Minister Nikol] Pashinian’s meanness and dishonesty. This cannot continue.”

Pashinian countered a few days earlier that the Russians cannot unilaterally raise the gas price now because it is fixed in a 10-year supply contract signed by the two sides in 2022.

Russia – Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian at the Kremlin, Moscow, April 1, 2026.

Pashinian also dismissed the latest Russian threats on Wednesday as he campaigned for the June 7 parliamentary elections in which his party is challenged by opposition groups promising to repair Armenia’s relations with its traditional allies.

“The people of Armenia must have an alternative: to be part of the EEU or to be part of the European Union,” he told supporters. “I will not decide that, you will decide that. My task is to give you alternatives, and you have alternatives. Our partners responding to this with threats, even if hidden, are acting against themselves.”

Pashinian claimed that Armenia sill soon be awash with “billions and trillions” of dollars as a result of transport links and other commercial ties forged with neighboring Turkey and Azerbaijan. It can therefore afford a higher gas price, he said.

Russia accounts for at least 80 percent of natural gas imported to Armenia. In addition to being supplied to households and power plants, it is also heavily used in some sectors of the country’s economy such as agribusiness.

Russian-Armenian relations have deteriorated further in recent weeks and especially after two European summits held in Yerevan early this month. Putin is expected to discuss Armenia’s continued membership in the EEU during Friday’s summit of the leaders of the bloc’s member states which will be boycotted by Pashinian.

Russian officials increasingly warn that Armenian exporters risk losing their tariff-free access to Russia’s vast market. Armenian exports to Russia totaled almost $3 billion last year, compared with $667 million worth of goods exported to EU member states.

Citing sanitary grounds, Russian authorities have already banned the import of Armenia’s most popular brand of mineral water and imposed serious restrictions of Armenian cut flowers imported to Russia. They gave a similar reason for a separate ban imposed over the weekend on wine and brandy produced by three Armenian companies.

Also, hundreds of Armenian trucks carrying other goods are reportedly stranded at the sole Georgian-Russian border crossing. Speaking to RFE/RL’s Armenian Service by phone on Tuesday, some of their drivers said Russian customs officials are obstructing their entry into Russia with additional and extremely slow sanitary inspections.

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Iran Repeats Concerns Over U.S.-Armenian Corridor Deal

Maral Chavushian
May 27, 2026


Armenia – Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Khalil Shirgholami, February 24, 2026.

Iran remains concerned about the Armenian government’s plans to open a U.S.-administered transit corridor for Azerbaijan along Armenia’s border with the Islamic Republic, the Iranian ambassador in Yerevan said on Wednesday.

Khalil Shirgholami spoke the day after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan initialed a fresh U.S.-Armenian agreement on practical modalities of the planned Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).

“Our position on the TRIPP project is very clear, and there is no ambiguity there,” Shirgholami told the Sputnik news agency. “We welcome the de-blockade processes, the realization of the potential of Armenia and other countries in the field of communication and transit. Iran is also ready to be part of that process. But on the other hand, we have expressed our concern about the hostile attitude of the United States.”

“We have no doubts that America does not wish the peoples of this region well,” he said. “Therefore, our position and our concern about any U.S. presence in Iran’s neighborhood is based on a realistic approach.”

“Again, we welcome all de-blockade processes. But having said that, our concerns and pessimism regarding U.S. goals remain. And we hope that U.S. presence in the region will not lead to rancor and rifts between the peoples of the region,” added the diplomat.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian agreed to the special transit arrangement during talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House last August. Iran fears that it could endanger its border with Armenia and lead to U.S. security presence there. Pashinian’s government has repeatedly assured Tehran that the TRIPP will not compromise Armenian sovereignty over the area.

Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seemed particularly opposed to the TRIPP. His top foreign policy adviser, Ali Akbar Velayati, said in December that it would lay the groundwork for U.S. or NATO military presence along the Armenian-Iranian border.

Iranian leaders have made no public statements on the issue since the start of the war with the United States and Israel in February. Some observers believe that the war has only strengthened Tehran’s opposition.

The U.S.-Armenian agreement calls for the creation of a joint venture that will manage for at least 49 years a railway, a road, energy supply lines and other infrastructure to be built to connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave. The U.S. government will own 74 percent of the company that will be granted “exclusive land use rights, development rights, related permissions, and all other rights” necessary for the transit arrangement.

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Pre-Election Arrests Of Armenian Oppositionists Continue Unabated

Chakhmakhchian Vatche
  • Naira Bulghadarian
  • Narine Ghalechian
May 27, 2026
Armenia – The opposition Strong Armenia alliance holds a campaign rally in Ararat province, May 19, 2026.

An Armenian law-enforcement agency arrested over a dozen more members and supporters of key opposition groups on Wednesday in what their leaders see as continuing attempts to help the ruling Civil Contract party win the June 7 parliamentary elections.

Ten of the suspects are linked to billionaire Samvel Karapetian’s Strong Armenia bloc widely regarded as Civil Contract’s number one election challenger. They included Mariam Sargsian, the 25-year-old head of Arbat, a village just south of Yerevan, and her parents.

Their relatives, friends and lawyers gathered outside the headquarters of the Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) in hopes of receiving information about their whereabouts. The ACC did not give any details of the criminal proceedings as of Wednesday evening.

It also did not allow the lawyers to visit the suspects and attend their interrogations. One of the lawyers, Tigran Hayrapetian, suggested that it is thus trying to extract confessions from the detainees in breach of Armenian law.

Hayrapetian represents dozens of Strong Armenia members and supporters who have been arrested in recent months on charges of giving or taking vote bribes. The ACC has opened 57 such criminal cases since February. The vast majority of them involve Karapetian’s loyalists. The law-enforcement agency reports their arrests on a virtually daily basis.

“Every day, 10-15 of our people get arrested,” Karapetian told a group of supporters at his Yerevan residence on Wednesday.

“Whenever they don’t arrest anyone, I worry that we did something wrong,” he added with sarcasm.

The 60-year-old tycoon himself is unable to physically attend Strong Armenia’s nationwide election campaign because of remaining under house arrest on separate charges rejected by him as politically motivated.

In a bid to back up its accusations, the ACC regularly releases audios of secretly recorded conversations in which suspects can be heard speaking about financial issues. Strong Armenia insists that they only discuss payment of salaries to individuals hired by the bloc for its election campaign. It strongly denies the vote-buying allegations.

The ACC also arrested on similar charges on Wednesday an unspecified number of members and supporters of another major opposition contender, the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), in the northern city of Vanadzor. BHK leader Gagik Tsarukian denounced the continuing “persecution” of his supporters as he campaigned in the Gegharkunik province.

The ruling party itself is accused by the opposition of trying to buy votes with public money as well as through a private charity run by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s wife, Anna Hakobian. None of its members or supporters have been prosecuted on corresponding charges.

Nor have the law-enforcement authorities launched formal investigations into reports that schoolchildren, teachers and other public sector employees are illegally ordered to attend Pashinian’s campaign rallies.

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Verelq: Pashinyan confirmed that he will bring 300,000 Azerbaijanis to Armenia. “Strong

Mary Lazarian

Pashinyan confirmed that he will bring 300,000 Azerbaijanis to Armenia. Today we all became convinced of it. The truth has already been revealed.

On May 21, Pashinyan announced that no Azerbaijani would come to Armenia, and he guaranteed it.

However, today he already announces that Azerbaijanis will come as “tourists”. He thinks that the Armenian people are naive. On the one hand, he scares the people with war and organizes a military parade, on the other hand, behind the backs of the people, he prepares the “military tourism” of Azerbaijanis in Armenia. You can prevent 300,000 Azerbaijanis from entering Armenia.


“Strong Armenia” party




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Asbarez: The Armenian Footprint on the FIFA World Cup

Maghakian Mike
by Contributor

 

 May 27, 2026

 

in Latest, Sports, Top Stories

BY MANUEL MARSELIAN

As the 2026 Men’s FIFA World Cup approaches and nations begin unveiling their official 26 man rosters, Armenians and football enthusiasts alike are reflecting on the history of the world’s most celebrated tournament and the role Armenians have played  and will continue to play on football’s grandest stage.

Although the Republic of Armenia has yet to qualify for a FIFA World Cup, Armenians across the globe have made meaningful contributions to the success and legacy of numerous national teams throughout football history. From the homeland to communities across the diaspora, Armenian players have brought their talent, determination, and passion to the international stage, becoming a source of pride for Armenians everywhere, regardless of the country they represented.

As anticipation builds for the 2026 tournament, this is a fitting moment to recognize their achievements, honor their legacy, and continue believing in the day when Armenia itself will take its place among the world’s football elite.

Nikita Simonyan (1958)
Born on October 12, 1926, in Armavir, Russia, Nikita Simonyan became one of the most revered and influential figures in Soviet football history. While his domestic career as a record-breaking striker for Spartak Moscow was legendary, his defining moment on the global stage came in the summer of 1958, when he helped lead the Soviet Union in its first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance.

Nikita Simonyan

At the tournament in Sweden, Simonyan captained a talented Soviet squad featuring legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin through one of the competition’s toughest groups, facing England, Austria, and eventual champions Brazil. He scored the Soviet Union’s first-ever World Cup goal in a dramatic 2–2 draw against England and played a key role in guiding the team into the quarter-finals after a playoff victory over the English side. Although the USSR’s historic run ended against host nation Sweden, Simonyan’s leadership and performances established the Soviet Union as a major force in international football.

Eduard Markarov (1966)
Eduard Markarov is widely remembered as one of the most technically gifted forwards to emerge from Soviet football during the 1960s and 1970s. A creative and intelligent attacker, he was included in the Soviet Union squad for the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England, where the team achieved its greatest-ever World Cup result by reaching the semi-finals and ultimately finishing fourth. 

Eduard Markarov

The 1966 World Cup Campaign
At a time when international football was often dominated by physical defending and rigid tactical systems, Markarov distinguished himself through his sharp movement, close control, and natural attacking flair. Although his appearances for the Soviet national team were limited, his inclusion in the 1966 squad reflected the high regard in which he was held within Soviet football circles. 

The Soviet Union’s remarkable run to the semi-finals remains one of the defining achievements in the nation’s football history.

Andranik Eskandarian (1978)
Andranik Eskandarian is regarded as one of the greatest defenders in Iranian football history and a defining figure of Team Melli’s golden era of the 1970s. Nicknamed “Barbed Wire” for his fierce tackling and uncompromising style, he became known for his leadership, discipline, and commanding presence in defense.

Andranik Eskandarian

The 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina
Eskandarian played a pivotal role in Iran’s historic qualification for the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina — the nation’s first-ever appearance on football’s biggest stage. As one of Team Melli’s veteran leaders, he started against both the Netherlands and Scotland.

His performance in Iran’s iconic 1–1 draw against Scotland remains one of the defining moments of his career. Tasked with containing legendary striker Kenny Dalglish, Eskandarian delivered a fearless and disciplined display against one of the tournament’s strongest attacks. Although an unfortunate deflection resulted in an early own goal, his commanding overall performance became legendary as Iran rallied to secure one of the most celebrated results in the history of Iranian sport.

Due to yellow-card accumulation, Eskandarian missed Iran’s final group-stage match against Peru.

Khoren Oganesian (1982)
Khoren Oganesian, born in Yerevan on January 10, 1955, is widely regarded as the greatest Armenian footballer of the 20th century. A legendary midfielder for FC Ararat Yerevan and the Soviet Union national team, he earned international admiration for his exceptional vision, technical mastery, creativity, and remarkable scoring ability from midfield, becoming an enduring symbol of Armenian sporting excellence.

Khoren Oganesian

International Legacy & the 1982 FIFA World CupOganesian’s brilliance secured him a prominent place in the Soviet Union national team, with one of his early international achievements being a bronze medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Yet his defining moment arrived two years later on football’s grandest stage. At the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, Oganesian became the first player representing an Armenian club to both appear in and score at a World Cup tournament. His most iconic moment came on July 1, 1982, during a crucial second-round group match against a formidable Belgian side at Camp Nou in Barcelona.

After a deflected cross dropped near the edge of the penalty area, Oganesian unleashed a perfectly timed volley that flew past legendary Belgian goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff. The stunning strike secured a memorable 1–0 victory for the Soviet Union and cemented Oganesian’s place in World Cup history.

Youri Djorkaeff (1998)
Nicknamed “The Snake” for his uncanny ability to glide through tight defensive lines and strike with ruthless precision, Youri Djorkaeff remains one of the most technically gifted and versatile attacking players in the history of French football.

Youri Djorkaeff

Born on March 9, 1968, in Lyon, Djorkaeff comes from a proud Armenian heritage through his father. Renowned for his elegant technique, tactical intelligence, and versatility, he excelled as a second striker, attacking midfielder, and creative playmaker. His vision, movement, and composure, combined with a relentless work ethic, made him one of the most effective and intelligent attackers of his generation.

He reached the pinnacle of his career during France’s triumphant 1998 FIFA World Cup campaign. Under immense pressure as tournament hosts, France relied heavily on Djorkaeff’s creativity and adaptability alongside Zinedine Zidane. He played a pivotal role throughout the tournament, scoring against Denmark in the group stage and serving as one of the team’s primary creative forces during the knockout rounds.

In the final against Brazil, Djorkaeff delivered the perfectly weighted corner that Zidane headed home for France’s second.

Alain Boghossian (1998) 
Boghossian is best remembered as an important member of the legendary French national team that captured the 1998 FIFA World Cup on home soil. He notably appeared as a second-half substitute in France’s iconic 3–0 victory over Brazil in the final.

Alain Boghossian

Boghossian’s 1998 World Cup campaign exemplified the value of a consummate squad player executing his role with precision, discipline, and selflessness. While stars such as Zinedine Zidane dominated the headlines, manager Aimé Jacquet relied heavily on Boghossian’s tactical intelligence, relentless work rate, and composure to help control matches and maintain balance in the French midfield.

Wearing the number 14 jersey, Boghossian featured in five of France’s seven matches during their historic run to the title. Alongside the more attack-minded Youri Djorkaeff, he provided crucial defensive stability and tactical structure in midfield. His contribution proved especially valuable in the World Cup final, when he entered the match in the 57th minute to help France contain Brazil’s midfield and protect their lead. After Marcel Desailly’s late red card reduced Les Bleus to 10 men,  Boghossian’s composure, energy, and defensive discipline played a key role in preserving the clean sheet and securing France’s first-ever World Cup triumph.

Andranik Teymourian (2006, 2014 & 2026 – Coaching Staff)
Andranik Teymourian (born March 6, 1983) is an Iranian football coach and former professional midfielder who currently serves as an assistant coach for Team Melli, the Iran national football team.

Andranik Teymourian

2006 FIFA World Cup – Germany
Teymourian emerged as one of Iran’s brightest talents during the 2006 FIFA World Cup, starting all three group-stage matches against Mexico, Portugal, and Angola. His tireless work rate, tactical discipline, and composure on football’s biggest stage marked his international breakthrough. His performances quickly attracted the attention of European clubs and earned him a move to the English Premier League with Bolton Wanderers later that summer.

2014 FIFA World Cup – Brazil
Eight years later, Teymourian returned to the World Cup as one of Iran’s most experienced leaders under head coach Carlos Queiroz. He played every minute of Iran’s campaign and was instrumental in the team’s disciplined defensive performances, including the memorable match against Lionel Messi’s Argentina, which Iran nearly held scoreless until a late winner. Teymourian also provided the assist for Iran’s only goal of the tournament in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Markar Aghajanian (2014, 2018 & 2022 – Coaching Staff)
Markar Aghajanian is an Iranian-Armenian football coach and former player best known for his long service as assistant coach of Iran’s national team under Carlos Queiroz. He played an important role in three FIFA World Cup campaigns — 2014 in Brazil, 2018 in Russia, and 2022 in Qatar — helping shape one of the most tactically disciplined periods in Team Melli’s modern history.

Markar Aghajanian

Although Aghajanian narrowly missed reaching a World Cup as a player during Iran’s 1994 qualification campaign, his greatest impact came from the sidelines. As Queiroz’s trusted assistant, he served as a key link between the international coaching staff and Iran’s domestic players, earning respect for his tactical analysis, defensive organization, and opponent scouting.

Aghajanian was especially influential during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where Iran delivered some of its strongest modern performances, including highly competitive matches against Spain and Portugal. Over nearly a decade with the national team setup, he became widely regarded as one of the most influential assistant coaches in Iranian football history.

Maximilian Michael Arfsten (2026)
Maximilian Michael Arfsten (born April 19, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays for the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer (MLS) and the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT). Widely regarded as one of the fastest-rising American players of his generation, Arfsten has built a reputation as a dynamic modern wing-back known for his pace, relentless work rate, crossing ability, and tactical versatility.

Maximilian Michael Arfsten

Born in Fresno, California, Arfsten has strong ties to the Central Valley’s Armenian-American community and is the great-grandson of Samuel “Sam” Siroonian.

Pochettino frequently praised Arfsten’s versatility and ability to play multiple roles along the left side, allowing the United States to shift between different formations without changing personnel. His relentless engine, defensive recovery ability, and elite crossing service filled a major need within the national team player pool.

As of May 2026, Arfsten has earned 18 caps for the United States and is officially included on the U.S. roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Arfsten is expected to play a major role for the Americans and is viewed as one of the nation’s most important emerging players heading into the competition.

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Asbarez: ‘We Will Continue Following Path We Have Chosen Together,’ Davit Ish

Emil Lazarian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 May 27, 2026

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories

Davit Ishkanyan


Artsakh’s former Parliament Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan, who is a serving life sentence in a Baku prison, issued a new message that circulated on Wednesday through his family.

Ishkhanyan is one the former Artsakh leaders who was on trial in Azerbaijan on sham charges and was given a life sentence at the conclusion of the bogus court proceedings.

“We will continue following the path we have chosen together,” Ishkhanyan vowed in this powerful statement.

Below is an English translation of his remarks.

Hello Everyone.

Yesterday, a preliminary hearing took place at the Baku Court of Appeals regarding our appeal of the February 5 verdict issued by the Baku Military Court. We appealed that ruling, and yesterday the process officially began, with the first hearing scheduled for June 2. You know — peace and trial… it is all very peculiar, especially considering that the verdict itself, after repeated delays and artificial obstacles, was only delivered to us on April 21.

And it should not surprise anyone when I say that to this day neither the defense side nor even the prosecution has received the full text of the verdict. They have only received excerpts.

Yesterday, I personally petitioned the court to provide both the defense attorneys and all defendants with the complete version of the verdict, as well as the full indictment. Surprisingly — though perhaps understandably — the court rejected my request.

From December 17, 2024 until now, throughout this entire two-year-long judicial process, the indictment has not been fully provided to the defense side.

At some point I will have the opportunity to speak in greater detail about the trial and the broader process surrounding it. For now, I will limit myself to saying this: anyone who reads the 15 sections of the indictment will fully understand what is happening here. The so-called ‘fair, open, and transparent trial’ is fiction. This is a fully controlled, censored retaliatory trial. Even the public presentation of it is manipulated through propaganda aimed both at Azerbaijani society and the international community.

Yesterday, I also submitted two additional motions. First, I requested that the hearings be broadcast online to ensure an open trial. I had proposed the same thing during the first-instance court proceedings, but it was rejected there as well. Yesterday it was rejected again.

My second request was that representatives of AzTV be barred from attending the hearings due to their misinformation and manipulative reporting. That request was also denied.

One of the defense attorneys here, unable to contain himself, openly stated during the hearing: ‘We will be ashamed before future generations for organizing such a trial.’ That alone is the proper assessment of this process.

Overall, I would describe this entire ordeal as a tragicomedy. Franz Kafka himself would have dreamed of attending such a trial — it would have inspired him to write either a new work or a second part to The Trial.

Another issue I want to address concerns my verbal appeal to the Human Rights Defender of Armenia. On May 6, I orally requested that the Human Rights Defender somehow obtain and transfer to my family the complete Armenian and Azerbaijani versions of our verdict.

I made the same request to the Azerbaijani Ombudsman, who met with us on May 5 and to whom I finally managed to hand over a letter I had written back on March 12. He promised he would try to ensure that the Azerbaijani-language version would reach my relatives. But so far there has been no response from either side.

Regarding the trial itself, I must say clearly: this is a delaying process coordinated with political developments.

There is something I believe the public should understand. Back in January and February of 2024, when we were already here, certain officials interacting with us hinted indirectly that we would remain here as long as Armenia’s authorities wanted us to remain here.
At first we could hardly believe such statements. How could our own authorities not want us to return home? But from today’s perspective, unfortunately, everything has become clear.

The developments surrounding this trial are being adjusted to political developments, including those taking place in Armenia itself. Recent developments have only reinforced this conviction.

I do not want to descend to the level of accusations and rhetoric currently being directed at Artsakh Armenians, but at some point the truth will become obvious to everyone — who bears responsibility and whose actions led to all of this.

In any case, we have now been here for nearly three years. During all this time, neither our principles, nor our reason, nor our spirit, nor our willpower have abandoned us. And they will not abandon us going forward.

Painful as this reality is, we will continue following the path we have collectively chosen.

I also want to use this opportunity to thank all the individuals, organizations, and institutions that have worked, issued statements, and adopted resolutions demanding our immediate release. All of these organizations and individuals understand that we are innocent and should return immediately to our families.

Finally, I want to congratulate our people on May 28 — the day marking the restoration of Armenian statehood — and wish our people strength of spirit, strength of will, and unity.

Stay strong. For now.

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