The Region in Brief

Armenia

Around 2:30 a.m. on April 20, Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire toward the village of Khoznavar in Armenia’s Syunik Province, according to Armenia’s Defense Ministry. A solar water heater installed on a residential roof was damaged. No casualties were reported. Armenian authorities have called on Azerbaijan to investigate the incident and publicly explain the shelling, which comes amid ongoing concerns about ceasefire violations.

Artsakh

The trials of former political and military leaders of Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh continue in Azerbaijan, with the latest court session held on April 22 in Baku. Among those questioned by prosecutors were former presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan and Arayik Harutyunyan, as well as former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, former Parliament Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan and former Defense Army Commander Levon Mnatsakanyan. The next hearing is scheduled for April 24.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told TRT World that the signing of a peace treaty now hinges on Armenia’s actions. He stated that the draft agreement is the result of joint efforts, but he reiterated Azerbaijan’s demand that Armenia amend its Constitution. “Everything now depends on the actions of the Armenian side. At times, Armenian officials speak of intentions to amend their Constitution. However, the specifics—such as what changes are being considered—remain unclear,” Bayramov said.

Georgia

Deputy foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia held a trilateral meeting in Tbilisi on April 17. Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili opened the session, emphasizing the strategic significance of the South Caucasus and Georgia’s commitment to fostering regional cooperation and shared interests. The closed-door discussions aimed to identify areas of mutual interest while promoting regional prosperity, stability and sustainable development.

Iran/Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law ratifying a strategic partnership agreement with Iran, originally signed during Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Moscow on January 17. The treaty outlines a broad framework for cooperation across economic, military and geopolitical domains, including joint military exercises, economic initiatives and mutual defense commitments. It also pledges to boost media cooperation and coordinate on nuclear energy and disaster response. A notable infrastructure component includes a planned gas pipeline from Russia to Iran via Azerbaijan, with agreed pricing mechanisms. The agreement is valid for 20 years, with automatic five-year extensions thereafter.

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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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