The ongoing war around Iran represents a systemic challenge to the regional balance and carries significant implications for Armenia’s security, economy, and logistical connectivity. Iran plays an important role in Armenia’s external economic relations: key trade routes linking Armenia with the markets of the Persian Gulf and Asia pass through Iranian territory. Iran is also […]
As of February 1, 2025, the number of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians who have left Armenia and not yet returned stands at 15,000 people. The total number of forcibly displaced Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians is 150,000. This figure represents residents who left Nagorno‑Karabakh as a result of the 2020 war and the ethnic cleansing carried out by Azerbaijan in […]
Four years have passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. During this time, the conflict has gone through several phases—from the advance of mechanized columns and maneuver offensives to a prolonged positional struggle and a stage of systemic attrition. The war has taken on a character in which not […]
By Tigran Grigoryan On February 12, at the congress of the newly established Strong Armenia party, it was announced that the political force’s candidate for prime minister would be Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan. The main issue with this decision is that, under the Constitution of Armenia, only individuals who have been solely citizens of the […]
By Tigran Grigoryan On February 14, a criminal case was initiated against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. The case centers on allegations of obstructing the enforcement of a court decision to temporarily reinstate Arman (Gevorg) Saroyan as Primate of the Massyatsotn (Masis) Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. On January 10, Catholicos Karekin II […]
By Tigran Grigoryan Renewed Developments in the Iranian Protest Case In a previous Democracy Watch report, we examined how protests by Iranian residents in Yerevan—and the Iranian ambassador’s criticism that Armenia was allowing “anti-Iranian forces” to mobilize—were followed by a ban on a planned march and the summoning of several protesters by Armenian law enforcement. […]
The main long-term assistance program for people forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh is the housing provision program, which envisages supporting families in acquiring housing. The amount of assistance ranges between 2 and 5 million drams per family member. One of the main requirements to become a beneficiary of the program is acquiring new citizenship of the […]
The United States has officially announced, for the first time, a major sale of military technology to Armenia. The deal concerns the delivery of V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) reconnaissance drones worth $11 million. This was announced by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance following talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan […]
By Tigran Grigoryan A couple of months ago, I was invited to a working lunch with a foreign delegation, together with several other colleagues representing Armenia’s civil society and think tank community. As the discussion turned to Armenia’s domestic dynamics, I pointed out the anti-constitutional and anti-democratic nature of some of the domestic processes initiated […]
