Removing sanctions on Iran oil will bring supplies into ports, US energy secre

Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

Removing oil sanctions on stranded Iranian oil would ‌get supplies to Asia within three or four days, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on ⁠Friday in an ⁠interview with Fox Business Network.

According to Reuters, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday the U.S. may soon remove sanctions on Iranian oil stranded on tankers at sea, as Washington seeks ‌to ⁠curb prices soaring over Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the war.

“Within days, within ⁠three or four days, that oil will start to ⁠arrive at ports,” Wright said in an ⁠interview with Fox Business Network.

Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

Published by Armenpress, original at 

Trump lashes out at NATO over refusal to help reopen Strait of Hormuz

Read the article in: ArabicՀայերենRussian

US President Donald Trump criticized NATO member states over their lack of support for the United States’ war with Iran.

“They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran,” he said in a post on his Truth Social platform, referring to Washington’s NATO allies.

“Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices,” he said.

“So easy for them to do, with so little risk,” he said.

Read the article in: ArabicՀայերենRussian

Published by Armenpress, original at 

EU Commissioner commends Armenia’s visa liberalization efforts

Armenia09:55, 20 March 2026
Read the article in: EspañolՀայերենRussianTürkçe

Armenian Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan has met with a delegation led by EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos.

The Minister of Internal Affairs highly praised the developing relations between Armenia and the European Union, emphasizing that this is already the second visit by an EU Commissioner to Armenia this month, reflecting active and effective cooperation, the ministry said in a press release.

Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, visited Armenia last week.

Referring to the EU visa liberalization process, Minister Sargsyan noted that Armenia will receive the final progress assessment report in May and expressed confidence that satisfactory results will be achieved on both sides. As the chief negotiator for the Armenian side, she presented the tangible results achieved since the start of the dialogue and reaffirmed that Armenia is fully committed to implementing the action plan in full and to a high standard.

The Minister placed special importance on ongoing efforts in migration and integrated border management, as well as on ensuring document security.

The importance of appointing a liaison officer to Europol was highlighted in the context of law enforcement cooperation.

Commissioner Kos highly praised the work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Minister Sargsyan personally in the EU–Armenia visa liberalization process.

She noted that Armenia is a reliable partner for the European Union, emphasizing that it is currently the only country with which the EU is conducting active dialogue in this area.

Reference was also made to a survey conducted by the International Republican Institute (IRI), according to which public trust in the Armenian police force under the Ministry of Internal Affairs has significantly increased.

The meeting also addressed issues related to security, countering hybrid threats, and combating cyberattacks.

Read the article in: EspañolՀայերենRussianTürkçe

Published by Armenpress, original at 

Armenian Interior Minister warns crime statistics are exploited for political

Law12:04, 20 March 2026
Read the article in: Armenian:

Crime statistics have recently been frequently exploited for political purposes, distorting public perceptions of internal security, Armenian Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan warned on Friday.

She made the remarks at a parliamentary defense and security committee hearing on her ministry’s 2025 performance report under the government’s 2021-2026 program.

The minister emphasized that security has always been and remains a key agenda topic.

“Security is a matter of concern for all of us, and it is no coincidence that both internal and external security are constantly addressed and discussed. I would like to particularly warn that crime statistics in recent periods have especially often been exploited as a tool for political manipulation, even becoming a topic in pre-election debates and undermining internal security stability,” Sargsyan said.

She noted that the public is often presented with an exaggerated picture of crime, while law enforcement agencies act based on real data, guided by the goal of ensuring citizen safety.

The minister also addressed criticisms of law enforcement work, noting that such critiques often intensify during election periods and correspond both to the logic of hybrid threats and to international experience.

Sargsyan recalled that the Government Program includes institutional reforms in the police system, including the formation of the Police Guard and the introduction of new preventive tools.

“With care and diligence, we both record new developments and pursue solutions to other issues that we ourselves have identified, being closer to the sector,” the minister said.

Read the article in: Armenian:

Published by Armenpress, original at 

Armenpress: Hittler faces Zielinski as French town’s election contest goes vir

World17:27, 19 March 2026
Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

A small French town has won instant internet fame because its mayor – running for re-election in Sunday’s municipal elections – goes by the name of Hittler, the BBC reported.

Furthermore, one of his two opponents is called Zielinski.

“It has gone completely crazy,” lamented Charles Hittler, mayor of Arcis-sur-Aube (population 2,785), when contacted by the BBC.

“All my life I’ve had the occasional joke made about my name. Sometimes people drew moustaches on my election posters. It was never a big deal.

“But now it’s out of control. I’ve seen online articles saying ‘37% of the people of Arcis are Hitlerites!’. My wife is in tears.”

French social media has been inundated with “humorous” posts about the battle between two individuals whose names resemble those of the late Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Hittler says the attention is getting too much.

“If people were talking about the town and our policies, that would be one thing. But all they’re interested in is our names,” he said, according to the BBC. 

So how did this retired French laboratory head come to be called Hittler? And why hasn’t he changed his name?

“My family comes from northern Alsace [along the German border], and my father was a shepherd. In the war he was taken to Germany in their forced labour programme,” Hittler said.

“After he came back he met my mother. Everyone said, ‘You’ve got to change your name.’ This was 1949. The war was a recent memory But it was a huge administrative headache and it would have cost a lot of money, so they didn’t.”

There are only a few of his tribe left in France, he says. His Hittler cousins in Alsace all had girls, so the name is disappearing there. One of his sons pronounces the name “Hit-lay”, in order to escape embarrassment, and his grandchildren have taken their mothers’ names.

But he says he has a Hittler daughter and a Hittler daughter-in-law who are also running to be councillors in the municipal elections, in other towns in France.

While Charles Hittler leads a centre-right list in Arcis-sur-Aube, his Zielinski opponent is in the far-right Patriot movement. In national elections, the far-right National Rally performs strongly in this area, about 160km (100 miles) southeast of Paris.

Antoine Renault-Zielinski, 28, is a customs officer recently arrived in Arcis. The second part of his name comes from his Polish mother.

“People are often asking me if I am related to Zelensky – to which I have to answer no, pointing out that the Polish name ends in an ‘i’ and the Ukrainian in a ‘y’,” he told BFMTV.

Sunday’s run-off in Arcis-sur-Aube pits Hittler against Renault-Zielinski and a third candidate, Annie Soucat. In the first round Hittler led by a small margin over the other two.

Hitler was a relatively rare name in Germany even before the dictator came to fame. Since World War Two it has all but disappeared, according to the BBC.

Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

Published by Armenpress, original at 

By holding Karekin II hostage and forbidding him from leaving for Tbilisi, thi

Aysor, Armenia
Mar 20 2026

The Chairman of the Pan-Armenian Council for the Preservation of the Armenian Church, Harutyun Agha-Sargsyan, has issued a statement regarding the denial by the authorities of Armenia of the opportunity for the Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, to travel to Tbilisi and attend the funeral of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II.

“This is the bottom. The authorities of the day have demonstrated the most absurd degree of their vindictiveness and moral degradation. By effectively holding the Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, hostage and forbidding him from traveling to Tbilisi to bid his final farewell to the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, this regime proves that it is completely devoid of any sanctity.

This is petty and cowardly hooliganism. When the state apparatus cannot restrain its anger even in the face of death, mourning, and a final farewell, we are dealing not with a government, but with a national disgrace.

This is an affront to the dignity of our state. By depriving the Patriarch of All Armenians of the opportunity to attend the funeral of his spiritual brother, you are not humiliating His Holiness – you are turning Armenia into a laughing stock, showing the world that our country is ruled by people who do not care about centuries-old Armenian-Georgian relations.

This is blatant blasphemy. Where normal people remain silent and bow their heads, you are building your petty, obsessive barriers. This is an encroachment not only on church order, but also on basic human morality.

We strongly demand that you immediately and without legal tricks lift this shameful ban against the Catholicos. Your hostile and destructive campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church has crossed all boundaries. Come to your senses. Whoever remains silent and tolerates this disgrace today becomes an accomplice in this spiritual terror carried out at the state level.

You are not attacking the Church – you are exposing your own moral bankruptcy, fear, and pettiness. Your actions evoke nothing but disgust and pity,” the statement reads.

No Azerbaijani position built on the sovereign territory of Armenia – Suren Pa

Aysor, Armenia
Mar 20 2026

The Minister of Defense of Armenia, Suren Papikyan, has stated that since 2021, Azerbaijan has not built any military positions on Armenia’s sovereign territory.

“No, it has not,” the minister said in response to a journalist’s question.

Papikyan reiterated that no Azerbaijani position has been constructed on the sovereign territory of Armenia.
“No position has been built on the territory of Armenia. The Ministry of Defense of Armenia has issued an official statement. Azerbaijan is building on its own territory, and we are building on ours as well,” he said.

The government threatens its own people with war on a daily basis – Tigran

Aysor, Armenia
Mar 20 2026

Tigran Abrahamyan, a deputy of the National Assembly from the I Have Honor faction, wrote: “The government threatens its own people with war on a daily basis.

They have turned blackmail into a tool for intimidating and subjugating people, and every second word is about war.

With the propaganda and justification of war, one force is operating in the Republic of Armenia – the ruling regime, which feeds on and operates according to the logic of war.”

Gohar Meloyan: Ban on Catholicos Karekin II’s travel to Georgia will negative

Aysor, Armenia
Mar 20 2026

Gohar Meloyan, a member of the Strong Armenia party, writes: “My deepest condolences to my Georgian friends on the passing of His Holiness Ilia II, whose spiritual legacy transcends all borders. His earthly departure is a profound loss for the entire Christian world.

The relations between the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and the Georgian Orthodox Church have a centuries-old history. They have consistently been one of the key pillars of Armenian-Georgian brotherly ties, founded on mutual respect, shared Christian values, and a common historical experience.

These relations have often accompanied and strengthened the friendship between the two peoples, preserving a spirit of dialogue and cooperation even during the most challenging periods.

If His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, decides to attend the funeral ceremony of Georgian Patriarch Ilia II, such a visit would not only serve as an _expression_ of respect and brotherhood, but also convey an important message aimed at further strengthening Armenian-Georgian ecclesiastical and interstate relations.

Any obstacle or impediment along this path could negatively affect the international standing of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, as well as harm the brotherly relations between Armenians and Georgians and the centuries-old ties established between the two Churches.”

‘Changing Armenia’s constitution is our decision, not others’,’ Pashinyan say

JAM News
Mar 19 2026
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Discussions on changing Armenia’s constitution serve Armenia’s own interests, not those of other countries, Nikol Pashinyan told journalists. During his weekly briefing, the Armenian prime minister made it clear that this is strictly an internal matter.

Baku has called for amendments to Armenia’s constitution as a precondition for signing a peace treaty. Azerbaijani officials argue that the current text contains territorial claims. The constitution itself does not include statements that directly support such concerns. However, it refers to the Declaration of Independence, which mentions the unification of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

“We have not discussed this issue with any external force, we are not discussing it, and we will not discuss it. We are discussing it with our people,” Pashinyan said.

During the briefing, the prime minister also spoke about the parliamentary elections scheduled for June this year, the expectations and intentions of opposition candidates, and the possible consequences if the ruling party loses.

Key points from the briefing.


  • Robert Kocharyan named prime minister candidate: will he become represent opposition in Armenia’s upcoming elections?
  • ‘Let them bang their heads against the wall’: Armenia’s government reacts to proposal to join Russia’s Union State
  • Poll: Will Armenia’s ruling party win June election?
  • Disinformation ahead of Armenia’s elections: new claims exposed

‘The Declaration of Independence is a declaration of conflict

“The issue of the Declaration of Independence and the constitution is our internal matter, because we — not others — must define how we position ourselves in the world,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

He argued that Armenia’s Declaration of Independence is not a declaration of independence, but a declaration of conflict and dependence.

“Imagine you move into a new apartment. You live on the same landing and threaten neighbours across from you, to the side and on the other side, while declaring your independence. What does that mean? How will you live in such an environment under those threats?”

Pashinyan said one could live in such conditions only by expecting outside support. That, in turn, would lead to “ever-increasing dependence” on whoever provides that support.

To support his argument that constitutional changes are necessary for Armenia itself, he also used an analogy about traffic rules.

“If we keep getting hit [by cars], we should ask ourselves: maybe the problem is that we are on the road and do not understand traffic rules, pedestrian crossings and traffic lights?”

‘They want to run a stronghold, not a state

Pashinyan spoke at length about the parliamentary elections scheduled for this summer. He said that if forces advocating a “revision of peace” win, a new war with serious consequences could follow. In his view, the risks include not only territorial losses but also a loss of sovereignty.

“All these forces essentially act from a position of revising peace. That means an inevitable war. It would happen soon after the elections — at most, by the autumn.”

Pashinyan said some of these political forces “do not understand what they are saying, because the texts are written elsewhere”, while they act as “readers”. He did not specify which groups he meant. However, his examples suggested he was referring, among others, to Samvel Karapetyan’s Strong Armenia party.

“I saw the phrase ‘strong peace’ in the news feed. Before that, I read headlines like ‘Forgive us, Artsakh… we will do this and that’. All this reflects a desire to revise peace. Any attempt to revise peace means war.”

Asked why opposition forces would want a war, Pashinyan replied:

“War would bring them the following: they would run a stronghold, not a state, because experience shows this is financially beneficial for them.”

The prime minister also said that all three forces advocating a “revision of peace” hold billion-dollar assets in Russia and Belarus.

“They have been told: if you want to keep these assets, work, sweat, run, do 30 push-ups. They will not manage it.”

Pashinyan appeared to be referring to:

former Armenian president and leader of the Armenia bloc, Robert Kocharyan,

Strong Armenia leader Samvel Karapetyan, a Russian businessman who is under house arrest in Armenia on charges linked to calls to seize power,

and Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan, a major Armenian businessman with active business interests in Belarus.

The prime minister said the ruling Civil Contract party aims to secure a constitutional majority in the elections. He said this would allow his team to guarantee the “irreversibility” of the peace process.