- Ruzanna Stepanian
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Monday he does not consider Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s warnings about the risk of war in the event of an opposition victory in upcoming parliamentary elections to be blackmail.
Speaking in parliament, Mirzoyan said he believes the prospect of war is real if the ruling Civil Contract party is not reelected in the June vote. He pointed to opposition figures whose political views, he said, include territorial claims to neighboring countries.
“It is unequivocal that such a prospect can exist,” Mirzoyan said. “Minutes ago we were talking in the committee, including with those opposition deputies whose ideology is that there are territorial issues with almost all neighboring countries.”
Mirzoyan argued that the opposition’s rise to power would immediately create problems with neighboring states.
“What is the blackmail here? We are offering peace. We say that our country needs peace. It is our strong belief that otherwise the very existence of the Republic of Armenia as an independent state will be in great doubt,” Mirzoyan said.
He also rejected the commonly used opposition argument that it is the Pashinian government that has “brought wars” to Armenia, saying that the war with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh that Armenia lost in 2020 stemmed from more than 30 years of “flawed political thinking.”
Last week, Pashinian accused his political opponents of planning to revise the current peace with Azerbaijan if they win the elections. He specifically named forces led by former President Robert Kocharian, Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetian, and businessman Gagik Tsarukian.
“I want to say this very directly, without any pretense, that [if they win] it will be a war with the loss of not only territory but also sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia,” Pashinian said.
He further warned that such a war would have “disastrous” consequences for Armenia and could begin within months of the mentioned opposition forces’ coming to power.
Opposition figures have rejected these claims, accusing Pashinian of exploiting public fears of war for electoral purposes.
Addressing supporters on Saturday, Kocharian called it “absurd” that a leader who “has brought three wars” to Armenia speaks about peace. He also described the narrative that “if it is not us, then it will be war” as “dangerous” and “humiliating.”
“Yes, we must do everything to avoid war, but that does not mean making concessions,” Kocharian said. “It means having dignified diplomacy, dignified policies.”
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DETERMINATION OF THE METRO. Raffi Hovhannisyan
METRO DESIGNATION
Prague, Strasbourg, New York and Ankara:
aside.
It was the Yerevan subway, and there was an ordinary Armenian mother sitting there, who was waiting for you until the end
disillusioned and exposed your very essence.
A nameless, nameless void of soul, of basic human dignity
against rebuke.
You’ve lost, bro, again and again and again.
Was it luck or providence to meet you and invite you to our homeland?
the future prime minister of the state, as well as yours.
Raffi K. Hovhannisyan
March 23, 2026
Yerevan
—
Funeral service at the Blue Mosque
“No to war and infanticide”
In memory of the martyred students of Minab Girls’ School, a funeral will be organized in the Blue Mosque of Yerevan with the participation of pupils, students, teachers, Iranian scholars and others.
During the event, there will be a ceremony of lighting candles and laying flowers, during which the attendees, expressing their support to the grieving families, will pay tribute to the memory of the innocent martyrs.
Date: March 23 at 12:00.
Place: Yerevan Blue Mosque.
—
PRESS RELEASE: German-Armenian Society ZOOM Talk “A crisis that only harms Arm
PRESS RELEASE German-Armenian Society Contact: Dr. Raffi Kantian E-mail: [email protected] Web: ZOOM talk on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, at 7:00 p.m. CET.
With Prof. Dr. HACIK GAZER, Professor of History and Theology of the
Christian East at the Faculty of Philosophy and Department of Theology
of the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg. on "A crisis that only harms Armenia The conflict between the government and the church leadership"
For participation registration is necessary. Interested parties are
kindly asked to send an e-mail with their first name, last name, and
affiliation by 30 March 2026 to [email protected].
The language of the event is German.
--
Jesse Arlen to Present “To Say with Passion: Why Am I Here?” at NAASR
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Press Release National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) 395 Concord Ave. Belmont, MA 02478 Tel.: 617-489-1610 Email: [email protected]
naasr and Belmont public library to present poetry evening with dr. jesse arlen
The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) host a poetry reading and presentation of Armenian-American Tenny Arlen’s posthumously published, bilingual book of poetry
The event is free and open to the public and can also be attended online via Zoom (registration link: or YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/ArmenianStudies). Following the program there will be a reception and a book signing to which all attendees Tenny Arlen grew up in San Luis Obispo, CA, and graduated from UCLA in 2013. In 2015, she was admitted to the University of Michigan’s Her book of poems, published by the ARI Literature Foundation (Yerevan, 2021) with the support of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Dr. Jesse Arlen is the director of the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center at the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of For more information about this program, contact NAASR at — California Courier Online, March 23, 2026California Courier Online, March 23, 2026
1- Pashinyan Gives a New Reason not to Back
Him in Next Parliamentary Elections
By Harut Sassounian
2- Armenian educator killed in Aleppo, Syria home invasion
3- Remembering Soghomon Tehlirian and the Quest for Armenian Justice
4- Armenia recovers medieval church artifact and Gorky artwork
5- He is (nearly) Risen: ‘World’s Largest’ Jesus Statue Takes Shape in Armenia
6- Three Armenians Appointed to L.A. County Commissions
7- Armenia ranks 89th in the World Happiness Report out of 147 countries listed
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1- Pashinyan Gives a New Reason not to Back
Him in Next Parliamentary Elections
By Harut Sassounian
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
After eight years of inept leadership, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan continues to damage Armenia’s interests, after giving away Artsakh to Azerbaijan. I will now present the latest example of Pashinyan’s illegal actions. Armenians were surprised to learn that the Prime Minister had ordered the dismissal of the Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, Dr. Edita Gzoyan, just because she had given the visiting Vice President of the United States JD Vance books on genocide and mass violence. Pashinyan made the false allegation that Dr. Gzoyan was carrying out an alternative foreign policy, just because she gave the Vice President the following books:
1) “Azeri Aggression against Armenians in Transcaucasia (1905-1921), Reports from the U.S. Press,” edited by Ara Ketibian, (2023);
2) “The Armenian Genocide: Prelude and Aftermath: As Reported in the U.S. Press. The New York Times,” Volume 1 (1890-1914) & Volume II (1915-1922),” compiled and edited by Rev. Vahan Ohanian and Ara Ketibian (2018);
3) “Ravished Armenia: The Story of Aurora Mardiganian” (2020);
4) “Documenting the Crime: The Armenian Genocide in Words and Images” (2024).
Here is how Pashinyan on March 12 justified his illegal demand for Dr. Gzoyan’s resignation: “When the Prime Minister says there is no Karabagh movement, what does it mean to present a foreign guest a book about the Artsakh issue? In this country, how many people can conduct foreign policy? The foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia is conducted by the government of the Republic of Armenia. And any state official who says something contrary to the foreign policy of Armenia should be dismissed. There is no issue there. Are we a state or a self-made group where we are experimenting with our creative potential? This is a state, beloved ones, with its clear governmental logic and state system. And there is absolutely no reason to make any excuses. The government decides foreign policy and I am the leader of the government and I decide, yes. … Yes, I asked her [Dr. Gzoyan] to submit her resignation. Yes I considered it an action contrary to the government’s foreign policy. I viewed it as a provocative act and asked her to submit her resignation. This is a state security issue. I say it again, when we announce that we must cease the Karabagh movement, there cannot be an official who can continue the Karabagh movement. There cannot be!” By forcing Dr. Gzoyan to resign, Pashinyan committed several illegal acts: 1) He has no legal authority to decide who would be the director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute. The museum is managed by a foundation. Only the 15 members of the foundation’s Board of Trustees have the right to appoint or dismiss the director. Thus, Pashinyan illegally usurped the authority of the Board Trustees. In protest, several distinguished members of the Board of Trustees resigned, including the chairman, Dr. Raymond Kevorkian, a French-Armenian historian and a preeminent genocide scholar; Prof. Stephan Astourian, Executive Director of the Armenian Studies Program and Adjunct Assistant Professor of History at the University of California, Berkeley; Dr. Harutyun Marutyan, a leading researcher at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia; and Dr. Hranush Kharatyan, a leading scientific researcher at the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. 2) Dr. Gzoyan did nothing wrong. As the Director of the Genocide Museum, she presented several books relevant to the Genocide museum’s mission to Vice President Vance. The Genocide Museum is an establishment that chronicles mass violence and genocide against Armenians in the past and the present. 3) After dismissing Dr. Gzoyan, Pashinyan committed a second illegal act. Without any authority, he appointed his former aide, Hrachya Tashchian, as acting director of AGMI. This is the prerogative of the AGMI foundation’s Board of Trustees. 4) Pashinyan sent the wrong message that academic research should be subordinated to politics. Anytime governmental policies change, scholars would be expected to amend their research to match the political leader’s whims! This is how Turkey and Azerbaijan distort the facts of the Armenian Genocide. 5) Pashinyan, who complained about Dr. Gzoyan giving a book about Artsakh to Vice President Vance, presented a book on Artsakh to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in 2019 in Turkmenistan during the CIS summit. Shouldn’t he be dismissed for doing what Dr. Gzoyan did? Trying to appease Erdogan and Aliyev, Pashinyan’s next order may be the shutdown of the Genocide Museum and Memorial. Twenty five prominent Armenian scholars from around the world, including a Turkish scholar, signed a joint statement issued by the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), condemning Pashinyan’s “troubling” action. They praised Dr. Gzoyan’s exceptional academic credentials and called on the Armenian government “to respect the independence of AGMI and ensure that Dr. Gzoyan is allowed to continue her work without political pressure or intervention. Protecting the [Genocide Museum] Institute’s autonomy and leadership is critical for preserving its credibility, safeguarding its scholarly mission and maintaining the trust of the international academic community. We believe that directorship of the AGMI should be based on the qualities of the individual as a scholar and administrator and not the political expedience of any particular administration.” They firmly demanded that “Dr. Gzoyan be reinstated immediately and allowed to continue the outstanding work she has been leading.” With each passing day, Pashinyan continues to drag Armenia downhill — a critical issue to consider when voting in the June 7 parliamentary elections. **************************************************************************
2– Armenian educator killed in Aleppo, Syria home invasion
Aleppo, Syria — The funeral of Armenian educator Maral Kheshfejian took place on Sunday after she was killed in her home in the city of Aleppo, Syria, on Saturday night.
According to local reports, intruders suspected to be thieves forced their way into her residence, stabbed her multiple times, looted her property, and fled the scene.
Residents stated that Kheshfejian’s home, located in the city center, appeared to have been targeted during a burglary attempt. Investigators believe the attackers broke into the residence with the intention of stealing valuables. The crime has sparked widespread shock among residents of Aleppo, as the victim was well known in the area for her good reputation. She worked in the education sector and had previously served as the principal of a local school, earning respect for her role in teaching and guiding generations of students. The incident comes amid broader concerns over security affecting Christian communities across various Syrian provinces, where many cases of violence and theft remain unresolved. Christians in Syria have endured numerous violations during the years of conflict, including killings, abductions, robberies, displacement, church bombings, and the desecration of religious sites. In a separate incident, Dr. Salwa Saloum was recently the victim of an armed robbery when a Range Rover carrying two men stopped in front of her clinic. One of the assailants reportedly pointed a gun at her head and threatened her while the other stole approximately 17 million Syrian Pounds from inside the clinic before fleeing the scene. The Wadi al-Masihiyeen (Valley of Christians) was also shaken last October when masked gunmen attacked a group of Christian youths, resulting in the deaths of Wissam George Mansour and his cousin Shafiq Rafiq Mansour, while several others were injured. These incidents have heightened tensions within the Christian community, whose sense of security has been increasingly unsettled due to the lack of safety, stability, and basic living conditions in many parts of the country, including areas with significant Christian populations.
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3- Remembering Soghomon Tehlirian and the Quest for Armenian Justice
By William Paparian
Every March 15, Armenian communities across the United States, Europe, Latin America, and theMiddle East gather for ceremonies, lectures, monument unveilings, and memorial services honoring one man and one mission: Soghomon Tehlirian and Operation Nemesis.On that day in 1921, 25-year-old Armenian survivor Tehlirian walked up behind Talaat Pasha, the chief architect of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, in broad daylight on a Berlin street and shot him in the head. The act was not random vengeance. It was the most visible strike in a secret Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) campaign called Operation Nemesis, launched because the world had failed to deliver justice. For the Armenian diaspora, March 15 is “Avenger’s Day,” an annual remembrance established by the ARF in 1974. It is more than nostalgia; it is a living affirmation of identity, moral resolve, and the refusal to let genocide go unpunished. The Shadow of GenocideThe date carries profound weight because of its history. Between 1915 and 1923, the Ottoman Young Turk government orchestrated the systematic deportation, massacre, and death marches of roughly 1.5 million Armenians. After World War I, promises of tribunals faded. Key perpetrators, Talaat Pasha, Enver Pasha, Cemal Pasha, escaped into exile, living freely while survivors rebuilt shattered lives in foreign lands. International justice had failed. In response, the ARF’s 1919 congress in Yerevan authorized Operation Nemesis: a secret mission to deliver accountability where none existed. Named for the goddess of retribution, it targeted those most responsible. Between 1920 and 1922, the group carried out at least seven successful assassinations across Europe and the Middle East. Tehlirian: Survivor and AvengerTehlirian became the face of that campaign. A genocide survivor who had lost his mother, sisters, and most of his family on the death marches, he was chosen to target Talaat, whom Shahan Natalie called “Number One.” After months of surveillance in Berlin, Tehlirian pulled the trigger on March 15, 1921. He did not flee; he waited to be arrested.
At his two-day trial in June, the courtroom became an unofficial tribunal on the Genocide. Survivor testimony, expert witnesses, and Tehlirian’s calm statement, “I have killed a man, but I am not a murderer,” filled the German press. The jury acquitted him in less than an hour. The verdict sent shock waves: a European court had implicitly recognized the Armenian Genocide as a mitigating circumstance for an act that would otherwise have been simple murder. Diaspora Memory and IdentityFor the diaspora, this sequence, genocide, impunity, targeted justice, public vindication, condenses the 20th-century Armenian experience into one dramatic episode. Most diaspora families trace their presence in California, France, Argentina, or Lebanon directly to genocide survivors who arrived as refugees. Annual April 24 commemorations remember the victims; March 15 remembers the response. It affirms that Armenians were not passive martyrs but agents who reclaimed agency when governments abandoned them. The act restored dignity and pride. This truth resonates in my own family. My mother, Serpouhi, survived the horrors, and I grew up hearing fragments of the Dickranian family story—not as dramatic tales, but as quiet, enduring truths. Eventually, they found safety in America and rebuilt a life of quiet strength. Those stories shaped me—not with anger, but with a deep responsibility to remember and honor those who ensured our survival. In Fresno, California, at the Masis Ararat Armenian Cemetery, a monument honors Tehlirian: an obelisk topped with a gold-plated eagle slaying a snake, symbolizing Armenian justice striking down Talaat Pasha, the “snake” as the chief architect of the Genocide. Erected in 1969, it remains a powerful pilgrimage site, drawing visitors who lay flowers and reflect on the enduring legacy of retribution and resilience. Lessons for TodayThe remembrance also looks forward. Turkey’s continued denial of the Genocide, coupled with recent threats against the Republic of Armenia, keeps the memory urgent. March 15 is not merely historical; it is a reminder that justice sometimes requires extraordinary measures when lawful avenues are closed. It inspires advocacy for recognition, reparations, and security, while also encouraging reflection: many Armenians today distinguish between the justified retribution of 1921 and modern violence, using the anniversary to explore non-violent strategies for the 21st century.
Ultimately, the Armenian diaspora remembers Soghomon Tehlirian and Operation Nemesis every March 15 because the date captures the central narrative of our collective identity: a people who survived attempted extermination, refused to accept impunity, and acted when the world would not. Tehlirian’s bullet in Berlin did not erase the Genocide, but it ensured its chief architect did not enjoy a quiet exile—and that Armenians would never forget they once delivered justice with their own hands. For millions in the diaspora—including me, carrying forward my mother Serpouhi’s legacy, March 15 is the day we reaffirm that memory, that pride, and our unbreakable commitment to “never again.”
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4- Armenia recovers medieval church artifact and Gorky artwork
Armenpress
A historic Armenian artifact and a graphic artwork by Armenian-American painter Arshile Gorky—acquired by the Armenian government as part of its efforts to locate and retrieve Armenian cultural heritage artifacts that have appeared in private collections or auctions around the world—will soon be put on display at the History Museum of Armenia and the National Gallery of Armenia in Yerevan. The Armenian government allocated more than 300 million drams last year alone for the retrieval of various artifacts. “Soon, our public will be able to see the wooden door panel of a medieval Armenian church acquired by the state, as well as a graphic artwork by Arshile Gorky, which will be displayed in the National Gallery and the History Museum,” Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan said at a parliamentary committee meeting on her ministry’s 2025 performance report. The monumental Armenian church door panel was made in 1188 and will be displayed at the History Museum of Armenia. The artifact appeared in international circulation in the 1980s and was later found in a private collection in New York. Earlier in December 2025, the Sam Fogg London art dealership website featured a monumental door panel carved for the Haghpat Monastery in Armenia, dated to 1188. **********************************************************************************
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6– Three Armenians Appointed to L.A. County Commissions
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to reappoint two Armenian-American community leaders with long-standing involvement in the Armenian National Committee of America and its Western Region affiliate. Jack Hadjinian was reappointed to the Commission on Alcohol and Other Drugs by L.A. serving County Supervisor Hilda Solis’ District 1. Vasken Yardemian was appointed to another term to the L.A. County Economy and Efficiency Commission. He will represent Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s District 5. Last year the Board of Supervisors appointed Ashod Mooradian to the L.A. County Consumer Affairs Advisory Commission. He, too, represents Solis’ District 1.
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7- Armenia ranks 89th in the World Happiness Report out of 147 countries listed
Hetq.am
Finland tops the list, followed by Ireland, Denmark, Costa Rica, and Sweden. Among Armenia’s neighbors Georgia ranked 91st, Turkey (94th), Iran (97th) and Azerbaijan (102nd). Rankings are based on the single life evaluation question called the Cantril Ladder. ******************************************************************************************
If you wish to read daily updated Armenian news and
commentary, Please send me your email address: [email protected]
Website: TheCaliforniaCourier.com
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— Armenia sends humanitarian aid to IranOC Media
Mar 23 2026
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated on Monday that Armenia has sent its first humanitarian aid to Iran since the war broke out there on 18 February. Mirzoyan elaborated that the aid was ‘mainly in the form of medicine’. ‘It could not have been done otherwise’, Mirzoyan said, underscoring the historically friendly ties between the two nations. Mirzoyan, however, did not elaborate on when the aid was sent. When asked by opposition MP Christine Vardanyan why the government did not announce the aid had been sent, Mirzoyan said they did not see the need to publicly ‘trumpet’ this. Last week, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed the topic of aid to Iran during his weekly press briefing, expressing Armenia’s readiness to provide humanitarian assistance if needed. ‘Iran does not need to appeal to us regarding humanitarian aid, because if we see any humanitarian need that we can support, we will take that step ourselves’, Pashinyan said at the time. Earlier in March, Pashinyan touched upon the war in Iran and the developments in the Middle East during his speech at the EU Parliament, highlighting Armenia’s good relations with almost all sides involved in the conflict. Pashinyan noted that his government was ‘pained’ by the ongoing war; but added that it was unlikely for Armenia to have a significant impact on the conflict. ‘Against the backdrop of such an international crisis of such magnitude, we are a small, modest state, and we can only pray for the repose of the souls of all the victims and for the wisdom of our partner leaders to find diplomatic solutions as soon as possible’. Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia tread carefully as Iran conflict explodes
Armenia has good relations with Iran, with whom it shares an open border, unlike Turkey and Azerbaijan. There is also a modest population of ethnic Armenians in Iran, numbering some 60,000 to 80,000, according to various estimates. Armenia’s government programme for 2021–2026 describes the bilateral relations with Iran as ‘special’, adding that Yerevan is seeking ‘to further develop’ ties. Despite Armenia fostering closer bonds to the West, including the US, Armenia has continued to maintain its cordial relationship with Iran. — How Gen Z sees the world: An Armenian youth’s view on Chinese technological inCGTN
Mar 23 2026
China21:20, 23-Mar-2026
The Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026 will be held from March 24 to 27 in Boao, south China’s Hainan Province, under the theme “Shaping a Shared Future: New Dynamics, New Opportunities and New Cooperation.” Nearly 50 side events will be held during the conference. In this video, Erik Mkrtchyan, a first-year mechanical engineering student at Tsinghua University from Armenia, shares his personal experiences. Erik came to study in China because of the country’s rich cultural heritage and dynamic environment for technological innovation. He focuses on the topics of artificial intelligence and humanoid robots at the annual conference and gives insight as a student: During his studies, he used AI tools like Doubao for artistic exploration and came to realize that AI is transforming from an efficiency tool into a creative partner. He is also amazed at how deeply intelligent technology has been integrated into daily life in China. Erik hopes to bring back to Armenia the technical skills he has learned, along with the philosophy of integrating education, engineering and real-world applications, to contribute to his home country’s technological innovation. He says that he is not only witnessing how the future is being created, but also learning how to take part in the process. — “If the opposition comes to power, Armenia will face a war”, FM saysMediaMax, Armenia
Mar 23 2026 “If the opposition comes to power, Armenia will face a war”, FM says Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan considers the prospect of a new war “unequivocal” in the event of an opposition victory in the June 7 elections. “The ideology of the opposition is that Armenia has territorial issues and claims with almost all of its neighboring countries. It is obvious that if people with this mindset come to power, problems with neighbors will arise immediately, and Armenia will most likely face a new war. We offer peace, but under different conditions, in our deep conviction, the existence of Armenia could be at serious risk,” Ararat Mirzoyan said in a conversation with reporters at the National Assembly. According to the foreign minister, they are a “party of peace.” “It is our political right to say so. Do I see an element of blackmail? No. Our government did not bring about the war, the war was the result of remaining within the wrong political mindset for more than 30 years,” said Ararat Mirzoyan. — MP visits Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan in prison, calls for his releasePanorama, Armenia
Mar 23 2026
Opposition lawmaker Tigran Abrahamyan has visited Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, the leader of the Holy Struggle movement, at the Yerevan-Kentron Penitentiary. “Archbishop Bagrat has been detained for approximately nine months, and the case brought against him and the movement’s activists has long since fallen apart,” he wrote on Facebook on Monday. “From the outset, this case was built on falsifications, defamation and political directives, and it has no legal basis or prospect of success. “Freedom to Archbishop Bagrat and all others facing political persecution,” Abrahamyan added. — |