The Region in Brief

Armenia

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) held its 35th World Congress amid significant geopolitical and domestic challenges, including the occupation of Artsakh and threats to Armenian statehood. The ARF emphasized the risks posed by shifting global dynamics, Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggression and the Armenian government’s misleading peace agenda. The party outlined its strategic priorities: strengthening Armenia’s independence and sovereignty, unifying the nation around Artsakh’s liberation, reinforcing military and security infrastructure, pursuing recognition of the Armenian Genocide and fostering unity within the Armenian Diaspora. The ARF also called for a change in government, stressing that only new leadership can guide Armenia out of the current crises and ensure national security.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has cited several obstacles to peace with Armenia, including what he called territorial claims in Armenia’s constitution and growing revanchist sentiments. Speaking in Astana, Bayramov acknowledged progress in negotiations but emphasized that Armenia’s territorial demands and increasing militarization remain significant challenges to lasting peace. 

Hairenik Media

Georgia

The Tbilisi City Court has sentenced former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to nine years in prison for embezzling over $3.2 million in state funds. Saakashvili was found guilty of using public funds between 2009 and 2012 for personal expenses, including foreign services and luxury goods. His former head of security, Temuraz Janashia, was fined 3,000 lari ($1,000). Due to health concerns, Saakashvili was absent from the verdict reading, while his supporters disrupted the courtroom, leading to their removal.

Iran

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected a U.S. offer to negotiate over Iran’s nuclear program. Khamenei stated that the calls for talks from certain “aggressive governments” were not aimed at resolving issues, but rather at imposing their own viewpoints and dominance. During a meeting with senior officials, including the president and parliament speaker, Khamenei emphasized, “The Islamic Republic of Iran will not, under any circumstances, accommodate their expectations.”

Syria

The leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has reached an agreement with the Syrian government to integrate all Kurdish autonomous civilian and military structures in northeastern Syria into state institutions, according to a statement from the Syrian president’s office. The agreement, finalized after a meeting between Ahmad al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, covers the incorporation of border crossings, airports, as well as oil and gas fields into the state apparatus. It also affirms that the Kurdish population is an integral part of the Syrian state, entitled to civil rights under the constitution. Both parties have agreed to a nationwide ceasefire as part of the deal.

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Hoory Minoyan

Hoory Minoyan was an active member of the Armenian community in Los Angeles until she moved to Armenia prior to the 44-day war. She graduated with a master's in International Affairs from Boston University, where she was also the recipient of the William R. Keylor Travel Grant. The research and interviews she conducted while in Armenia later became the foundation of her Master’s thesis, “Shaping Identity Through Conflict: The Armenian Experience.” Hoory continues to follow her passion for research and writing by contributing to the Armenian Weekly.

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