Armenian Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan said Friday that authorities are constantly assessing all security risks for the country.

He was asked at a press briefing whether possible risks amid the war in Iran have been evaluated. Papikyan said the process is conducted jointly with various government agencies.

“In the Republic of Armenia, there are agencies such as the Security Council, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and the National Security Service. The Ministry of Defense is in its place, and all risks are being assessed,” Papikyan said.

He dismissed criticism suggesting that the ruling Civil Contract party ignored the fallout of the war by conducting a party campaign trip on the first day of the war in Iran. On the contrary, he said the trip was meant to reassure the public. 

“Those activities were aimed at sending the appropriate message to the public. The campaign’s goal was to show society that there is peace in the Republic of Armenia,” Papikyan, a senior Civil Contract official, said in response to reporters’ questions about what message the authorities were conveying when they held a party campaign trip on the day the war in Iran began.

The number of servicemembers choosing to continue their military careers after completing mandatory service is on the rise, Defense Minister Suren Papikyan told lawmakers on Friday.

He said that 5,200 servicemembers have signed up for voluntary service through the “Homeland Defender” contract program so far.

“Under the servicemember certification process, 3,270 personnel were certified in 2025 and continue to serve. Since the process was introduced, 73% of applicants have been certified.1,777 servicemembers have joined the Homeland Defender program, through which enlisted personnel move from mandatory service to [voluntary] contract service. Compared to 2024, the number of participants has increased by 180, bringing the total in 2025 to 4,234. Currently, this figure has surpassed 5,200,” Papikyan said during a parliamentary committee hearing on the Defense Ministry’s 2025 performance under the 2021–2026 government program.

As part of the rollout of the new NCO system, roughly 120 sergeant positions have been added, and servicemembers who completed the required training have been assigned to these posts. In addition, around 200 trained instructors have joined the military through instructor training programs.

Men called up for Armenia’s 1.5-year mandatory military service have the option, under the Homeland Defender program, to sign a five-year contract with the possibility of extension, giving them additional benefits and career opportunities. 

Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Narek Mkrtchyan held meetings with the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, Frank Pallone and Gus Bilirakis, as well as with Caucus members Seth Magaziner and Jim Costa.

During the meetings, the Ambassador expressed appreciation to the Caucus members for their longstanding support for strengthening Armenia–U.S. bilateral relations, the embassy said in a readout.

The discussions also addressed prospects for further deepening cooperation and advancing new joint initiatives.

Armenian Ambassador to Uruguay Mariam Gevorgyan met with members of the newly established Uruguay–Armenia Friendship Group in the South American nation’s parliament.

Welcoming the formation of the friendship group, the ambassador expressed confidence that it will serve as a new impetus for inter-parliamentary exchanges and the strengthening of parliamentary diplomacy, the embassy said in a press release.

During the meeting, Ambassador Gevorgyan answered questions from Uruguayan parliamentarians regarding Armenia’s security situation, the process of normalizing relations with neighboring countries, and various issues related to Armenia–Uruguay bilateral relations.

The parties mutually emphasized the high level of bilateral relations and expressed their readiness to continue efforts to further develop cooperation.

The Yerevan subway switched to temporary single-track operations on Friday morning after a technical malfunction occurred in the above-ground section due to power fluctuations, the metro administration said in a press release.

The administration said that specialists are currently working on-site to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and restore full operations.

In the meantime, the metro will operate on a single-track, bi-directional system.

The subway administration reported around midday that operations had returned to normal and the technical malfunction had been fixed.

Update shows resumption of normal operations. 

Russian border guards who were previously on duty jointly with their Armenian counterparts at the Akhurik border checkpoint on the Armenia–Türkiye land border, currently closed, have been withdrawn.

As of now, only Armenian border guards are stationed at the Akhurik checkpoint, the Director of the National Security Service, Andranik Simonyan, reaffirmed to reporters on Friday.

During a press briefing, a reporter asked whether Russian border guards are still serving at the “Akhurik” checkpoint. Simonian responded:

“Since the beginning of 2026, only servicemembers of the NSS Border Guards have been serving at the Akhurik checkpoint.”

On a follow-up question about whether this means there are no Russian border guards at the checkpoint at all, the NSS director replied:

“At the checkpoint — no.”

Archbishop Yezras Nersissian, the Primate of the Diocese of Russia and New Nakhichevan of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the brother of Catholicos Karekin II, was a KGB agent in Soviet times, according to National Security Service (NSS) Director Andranik Simonyan.

Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, Simonyan appeared to echo Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s accusations questioning Karekin II’s legitimacy by referring to him by his secular name, Ktrij Nersissian.

“Ktrij Nersissian’s brother was a Soviet KGB agent, and the NSS has publicized this fact,” Simonyan said.

The NSS earlier told Civic.am that, according to the information at its disposal, Archbishop Yezras Nersissian collaborated with the USSR State Security Committee (KGB) between 1986 and 1988.

According to the NSS, the available data also indicate that Archbishop Yezras Nersissian currently maintains contacts with representatives of foreign intelligence services, which, in the agency’s assessment, may pose a threat to the security and interests of the Republic of Armenia.

Earlier this year, Archbishop Yezras Nersissian denied having been a KGB agent. 

Armenian authorities said Friday that a text leaked to the media and presented as the new Constitution draft is not the final document.

“The Constitutional Reform Council continues its work, and both substantive and editorial changes are being made in the process of shaping the final version. Accordingly, there are numerous working documents, including draft versions and analytical reviews based on the current Constitution’s text,” the ministry of justice said, urging the public to rely only on official information and to wait for the official publication of the new Constitution draft.

The Ishkhanutyun media outlet published on Friday what it said was a leaked draft of the Constitution that the authorities plan to put to a referendum. Various clauses in the current Constitution were shown as removed.

On March 19, the 5th meeting of the Armenia–EU Parliamentary Partnership Committee took place at the European Parliament. It was co-chaired by Member of the European Parliament Nils Ušakovs, Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the South Caucasus, and Member of the National Assembly of Armenia Arman Yeghoyan, Chair of the Standing Committee on European Integration, the Mission of Armenia to the EU said in a press release.

During the meeting, discussions covered the new Armenia-EU partnership agenda, the efforts of the Armenian government aimed at strengthening peace, the extensive work being carried out toward visa liberalization, as well as infrastructure projects.

The event was also attended by senior officials of the European External Action Service (EEAS), representatives of EU-Armenia civil society, Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Armen Ghazaryan, and other officials from EU institutions.

Ambassador of Armenia to Belgium and Head of Mission to the EU, T. Balayan, also participated remotely, presenting the preparatory work for the European Political Community (EPC) and the first Armenia-EU summits, outlining the Armenian side’s expectations, and addressing infrastructure projects while emphasizing Armenia’s readiness to deepen cooperation with European partners.

At the end of the meeting, a joint statement was adopted.

The High Commissioner of Diaspora Affairs of Armenia, Zareh Sinanyan, will travel to Singapore from March 24 to 30 to participate in events marking the 190th anniversary of the Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator.

The visit was formalized by a decree from Prime Minister Pashinyan and published on Friday.

The Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, referred to locally as the Armenian Church, is located on Hill Street in the Museum Planning Area, within Singapore’s Central Area. The church was completed in 1835 and consecrated the following year. It is the first Christian church built in Singapore.