The closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the Middle East military conflict threatens the world not only with an energy crisis, but also with a global food crisis. Against the background of mutual ultimatums between Washington and Tehran, prices of basic resources are setting records, and global logistics chains are on the verge of collapse.

The war between the US, Israel and Iran has already caused oil and gas prices to skyrocket, but the economic consequences are much more far-reaching. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the blockade of the strait has paralyzed supplies of nitrogen fertilizers produced from natural gas. This maritime corridor handles about one-third of global trade in such products. Analysts warn that supply disruptions will inevitably lead to food shortages and sharp increases in food prices, which will primarily affect the poorest countries on the planet.

The numbers clearly show the scale of the problem. The Gulf countries supply almost half of the urea and about 30 percent of the ammonia to the world market. The situation is complicated by the fact that Qatar, one of the leading suppliers of urea, was forced to completely stop production after the infrastructure of the Ras Laffan industrial zone was damaged by Iranian strikes. Although other producers in the region continue to load ships, only one vessel has managed to exit the blocked strait since late February. As a result, the exchange prices of fertilizers have already increased by 10-30 percent, and the cost of one ton of urea has risen from $472 to almost $600.

Along with the economic crisis, the geopolitical situation is rapidly heating up. US President Donald Trump has issued a tough ultimatum to Tehran, giving 48 hours to completely unblock the Strait of Hormuz and otherwise threatening to destroy Iran’s power plants, starting with the largest. In response, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed to inflict “irreversible” damage on US and its allies’ energy, oil, IT and desalination infrastructure across the region.

“If the United States’ threats against Iranian power plants are carried out (..), the Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed and will not be reopened until our damaged power plants are restored,” Iran’s military command said in a statement broadcast on state television.

Amidst this unprecedented escalation, a British politician George Galloway made a scandalous statement claiming that Donald Trump is suffering from a nervous breakdown. Galloway publicly called on Vice President JD Vance and the US military to remove the country’s leader from power, stressing that Trump’s inner circle is aware of his condition. Such statements only increase tensions in the already explosive Middle East.

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The 10th anniversary festival “Flower” will be held in Armenia, which is organized by the initiative of “Kamurj” cultural center.

The festival brings together dance groups and cultural organizations from different countries, creating a platform for international cooperation and cultural exchange. This year’s anniversary edition features an expanded format and concerts held on several stages.

Dance ensembles from different countries: France (Strasbourg, Lyon), Great Britain (London), Greece (Athens), Georgia (Tbilisi), Russia (Sochi), as well as Armenian dance groups are expected to participate in the event.

A number of concerts are planned within the framework of the festival.
March 28 — Hakob Paronyan State Theater of Musical Comedy
April 13 — Alexander Spendiaryan National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet
April 17 — Vaso Abashidze State Musical and Drama Theater of Georgia

The end of the anniversary program is scheduled for October 25, in Moscow, at the MOS PRODUCER concert hall.
Tickets are sold through the Eventhub platform.

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The main military investigative department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia has completed the preliminary investigation of the tragic case registered in the Yerevan Garrison Hospital.

A soldier died due to medical negligence and delayed diagnosis, and the treating resident will now stand trial on charges of dereliction of duty that cost a life.

According to the materials of the criminal proceedings, between July 19 and August 6, 2024, the resident of the hospital failed to correctly and fully assess the patient’s condition. The serious lesions of the renal system and the aggravation of pulmonary pathology escaped the specialist’s view. Prescribed ineffective treatment resulted in loss of time.

The real and serious diagnosis, Wegener’s granulomatosis, was confirmed only when the soldier was transferred in critical condition to another multidisciplinary medical center. Unfortunately, the disease had already reached a terminal, irreversible stage, and it was not possible to save the young man’s life.

As part of the initiated public criminal prosecution, the resident was charged under part 2 of Article 187 of the RA Criminal Code, that is, failure to perform or improper performance of professional duties by a medical worker, which caused the death of a person due to negligence.

Currently, the case with the indictment has been sent to the supervising prosecutor with a request to approve it and send it to the court.

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In Syunik region of Armenia, a large-scale drug smuggling attempt was prevented. As a result of the operative actions of the criminal police, a foreign citizen transporting kilograms of heroin and methamphetamine to the capital was arrested on the Meghri-Kapan road section.

The joint special operation against drug trafficking and Syunik regional departments was carried out on March 16, based on reliable operational information received.

According to the preliminary investigation data, the 41-year-old foreigner, having reached a preliminary criminal agreement with the 40-year-old compatriot, took the prohibited substances smuggled into the country from the Meghri-Kapan highway and drove to Yerevan.

However, the drug dealer’s plans failed. the law enforcement officers found him and neutralized him in the city of Kapan. As part of the initiated criminal proceedings, a search of the suspect’s car revealed an impressive amount of drugs: three packages of methamphetamine weighing more than three kilograms, heroin exceeding one kilogram and 34 pills.

Currently, the 41-year-old man is detained, and the law enforcement agencies continue the preliminary investigation in order to identify the other participants in the criminal chain and the source of the drug acquisition.

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Against the backdrop of impressive economic growth in 2025, Armenia is preparing for a large-scale digital transformation. The outdated public procurement system will finally be a thing of the past, giving way to an innovative platform developed by the global IT giant, which is scheduled to launch in early 2027.

RA Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan announced the expected fundamental changes on March 23 at the session of the National Assembly’s Committee on Financial Credit and Budgetary Issues. Presenting the 2021-2025 performance of the government program, the head of the department noted that the existing electronic platform for public procurement is hopelessly outdated and no longer meets the growing volumes of public expenditures and the pace of reforms. In order to solve this problem, the government has already held an international competition and signed a contract with a world-renowned technology company specializing in similar solutions.

Now the parties are discussing in detail the road map for the introduction of the new system, which will provide ample opportunities for in-depth analyzes and increasing the transparency of processes.

Despite the ambitious plans, the minister acknowledged the fact that there are some obstacles on the way to full digitization. In particular, some communities still prefer paper document circulation, but the government intends to complete the complete transition to electronic format already this year. Another acute problem remains the shortage of qualified professionals in the field of procurement.

For the comprehensive solution of these issues, the executive will present a large package of legislative initiatives next week, which is intended to prepare the ground for the full launch of the new platform from January 1, 2027.

The need for infrastructure modernization is directly dictated by the rapid growth of the country’s economy. According to the published data of 2025, the GDP per capita in Armenia reached 9,474 dollars, increasing by 10.7% in one year in dollar terms, and almost 2.5 times compared to 2017.

With economic growth of 7.2% recorded last year, the five-year average annual index was an impressive 7.9%.

The economic rise was logically reflected on the state treasury. In 2025, budget revenues exceeded 2.88 trillion drams, registering an increase of almost 12%. Due to this, the government managed not only to exceed the tax collection plan, but also to direct record funds to the development of the country. The capital expenditures of the budget increased by 26%, exceeding 702 billion drams.

At the same time, investments in economic and social sectors, including subsidies to communities, increased by almost a third compared to the previous year, exceeding 2018 indicators by 3.5 times.

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Within the framework of the dialogue between Armenia and Turkey, the parties are considering an unprecedented step, establishing mutual scholarships for students. This initiative is designed to strengthen confidence amid preparations for the full opening of land borders and the restoration of transport links.

On March 23, during a speech at the session of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly, RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan He described the current negotiation process with Ankara as extremely dynamic and promising. According to the head of the foreign political department, the final and main goal of these diplomatic efforts is the complete unblocking of the borders, the long-awaited commissioning of the Gyumri-Kars highway and railway, as well as the official establishment of bilateral relations.

The parties have already moved from political statements to practical steps “on the ground”. As the minister mentioned, the joint working groups are carrying out a thorough technical evaluation of the condition of the existing infrastructures on both sides of the border. Among the confidence-building measures already implemented, Mirzoyan singled out the abolition of state taxes and the introduction of the electronic visa system for holders of diplomatic and service passports, as well as the successful entry of Turkish airlines into the Armenian market. All this work is strengthened by regular direct contacts and mutual visits at the level of the leaders of the two states and sector ministers.

It should be reminded that the land border between the two neighboring countries was unilaterally closed by Ankara back in 1993, during the first Artsakh war. Only decades later, starting from 2021, Yerevan and Ankara started a new round of substantive negotiations for the regulation of relations with the participation of special representatives.

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After decades of diplomatic vacuum, Armenia and Pakistan are moving to the practical stage of building bilateral ties. Yerevan and Islamabad have started the process of accreditation of non-resident ambassadors, finally closing the page of historical differences.

This significant step was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia during the session of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly on March 23 Ararat Mirzoyan. According to the head of the foreign political department, the lack of contacts with Islamabad remained a complex geopolitical knot for many years, directly connected with Armenian-Azerbaijani and Armenian-Turkish relations. However, last year the parties managed to reach a historic mutual understanding.

Mirzoyan emphasized that the Pakistani side gave considerable solemnity to the fact of establishing relations. Currently, the states are in active contact and are preparing for the accreditation of diplomatic representatives, who will be non-resident at this stage. The minister also added that, in addition to Pakistan, Yerevan established official diplomatic relations with Lesotho and Solomon Islands last year.

Let’s remind that Armenia and Pakistan officially established diplomatic relations on August 31, 2025. The signing ceremony of the joint communique was held in Tianjin, China, within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. This historic event signaled the end of the long period when Pakistan was the only country in the world that did not recognize the independence of the Republic of Armenia.

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The recent incident in the Yerevan metro, during which Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan got into a verbal fight with a woman displaced from Nagorno Karabakh, has received a sharp response in expert circles. Doctor of Law, Professor Gevorg Danielyan pointed out the inadmissibility of manipulation of concepts, when the forced emigration of people against the background of military operations is presented as a voluntary escape.

The situation recorded yesterday in the metro of the capital became an occasion for discussions. The head of the Armenian government communicated with the daughter of field commander Meruzhan Mosiyan, who died in the first Artsakh war in 1993, in a high tone. Armine Mosiyan with. During that conversation, the phrase “runaways” was used to refer to the forcibly displaced people.

Commenting on this incident, a member of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Mother See Gevorg Danielyan expressed deep concern on his page of social networks regarding how the emigration of Armenians from Nagorno Karabakh is interpreted in the political sphere. According to him, the consequences of the multi-month blockade and large-scale military operations are consistently ignored, and the tragedy of thousands of people who lost their homes is ordered as voluntary abandonment of their permanent residence.

The expert reminded that the mass emigration was preceded by a heavily armed confrontation. In that unequal struggle, as Danielyan notes, not only civilians – women, children and the elderly – died, but also 129 servicemen who showed stubborn resistance. The lawyer also referred to the official data of the Azerbaijani side, which confirmed the loss of 192 of their soldiers.

Summarizing his position, the professor emphasized that the political narratives of “escape” and “considering the Artsakh issue closed” lack internal logic. Danielyan noted that the denial and blocking of the people’s right to self-determination is in deep legal conflict with the UN Charter and the fundamental international treaties that fix the essence of statehood.

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According to a new report by the international human rights organization Freedom House, the level of global freedom in the world is decreasing for the 20th year in a row. Against the background of the general decline of democratic indicators in the South Caucasus and neighboring regions, Armenia has maintained its previous positions, remaining among the “partially free” countries.

In the report “Freedom in the World 2026: The Growing Shadow of Autocracy” published by the organization on March 19, it is noted that during the past year, political rights and civil liberties have deteriorated in 54 countries, and only 35 countries have registered a positive shift. Armenia earned 54 points out of 100 possible, repeating last year’s result. In addition, from the point of view of Internet freedom, the experts ranked the country among the free states, evaluating it with 72 points.

Neighboring Georgia also kept its place in the group of “partially free” countries, but its ranking decreased by 4 points compared to last year, reaching 51. The authors of the report attribute this decline to the harsh response of the authorities to the anti-government demonstrations that started in 2024 and continued throughout 2025. Human rights activists highlight the disproportionate use of force by the police, as well as the repression of opponents and civil society by the ruling Georgian Dream party, through physical attacks and new restrictive laws.

Other countries of the region appeared in the list of “not free” states. Azerbaijan’s index decreased from 7 to 6 points within a year. According to Freedom House analysts, the country’s index has fallen from 33 to 6 over the past two decades, following President Ilham Aliyev’s consolidation of authoritarian rule since 2003, and the elimination of an independent judiciary and media. The report notes that the country’s leadership is actively using state resources, including the oil sector, to maintain patronage and corruption networks and fund pro-government media, while deploying a heavy-handed crackdown by security forces to silence any dissent.

Traditionally, Turkey and Iran have also been included in the rating table of “not free” countries, receiving 32 and 10 points, respectively, from the experts.

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Against the background of the growing threat of transnational crime, the delegation led by the chief of police of Armenia participated in the world summit on the fight against fraud in Vienna. The main theme of the large-scale forum was the development of effective mechanisms to counter modern financial machinations and the expansion of international cooperation of law enforcement agencies.

From March 16 to 17, the high-ranking delegation of the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs: Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Chief of Police Kamo Tsutsulyan was in the capital of Austria on a working visit. As reported by the press service of the department, the agenda of the event included a wide range of issues related to the latest methods of fraud and finding adequate solutions to these challenges.

The participants of the international conference agreed that the key to success in preventing such crimes is the uninterrupted and prompt exchange of information in bilateral and multilateral formats.

Within the framework of the meeting of heads of delegations, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia in Austria gave an extensive speech Andranik Hovhannisyan. The diplomat presented to the foreign partners in detail the current image and features of fraud schemes in the republic, and also spoke about the preventive measures of the law enforcement system and the prospects of conceptual reforms in the given field.

At the end of the summit, the Armenian side officially reaffirmed its determination to join efforts with international partners. Yerevan intends to actively participate in global initiatives in the future in order to significantly increase the effectiveness of the fight against transnational crime.

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