The Region in Brief

Artsakh

Njdeh Iskandaryan has been appointed the new state minister of the Republic of Artsakh. He made the announcement during a press conference organized by the Council for the Protection of the Rights of the People of Artsakh. “I could not speak about the role of state institutions while turning away from them myself. Having received the offer, I accepted it with a sense of duty. Within the limits of my capabilities, I will stand by our statehood,” Iskandaryan stated.

Iran

Iran has blocked the implementation of the so-called “Zangezur Corridor” through swift, decisive action, thereby preventing the geopolitical isolation of both Iran and Russia, according to senior Iranian official Ali Akbar Velayati, a top advisor to the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic.

In an interview with Khamenei.ir, Velayati said certain countries attempted to establish a corridor linking Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan via southern Armenia. “Under the pretext of creating the ‘Zangezur Corridor,’ there were efforts to connect Nakhichevan to Azerbaijan through Armenian territory. This would have led to partitioning Armenia and blocking Iran’s access to Europe,” he said. “Iran, however, successfully prevented this plan.”

Velayati further claimed former U.S. President Joe Biden had acknowledged preparations for the corridor’s launch. He asserted that the corridor’s goal was not only to sever Iran’s northern access but also to isolate Russia from the south.

Russia

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called for restraint after Vladimir Medinsky, aide to the Russian president, referred to Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh as a “disputed territory,” comparing it to the conflict in Ukraine—remarks that prompted an official protest from Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova urged the public and media “not to take Medinsky’s words out of context” or misrepresent them.“Russia officially recognizes this region (Nagorno-Karabakh) as part of Azerbaijan,” she reaffirmed. She further clarified that Medinsky had been speaking from a historical perspective, addressing the “historical context, socio-cultural characteristics and the pain experienced by the people.”

Turkey/Azerbaijan

Turkey and Azerbaijan are conducting joint military exercises titled “Unshakable Brotherhood–2025” and “Mustafa Kemal Atatürk–2025” in Nakhichevan, as part of their ongoing defense cooperation. According to the Turkish Ministry of National Defense, an official flag handover ceremony took place on the Hasret Bridge ahead of the drills. The exercises will be held from June 12 to 19 and involve the armed forces of both countries.

The command-and-staff exercises, supported by computer-assisted simulations, aim to enhance operational coordination, improve joint tactical capabilities, and strengthen strategic cooperation between the Turkish and Azerbaijani militaries. Officials emphasized the drills reinforce unity and demonstrate the high interoperability between the two allied nations.

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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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