The Region in Brief

2026-02-05 - 18:57

Artsakh A court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Samvel Shahramanyan, the fifth president of the Republic of Artsakh, against Nzhdeh Hovsepyan and the Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (MoES), the court announced. Shahramanyan sought the removal of a passage in the ninth-grade history textbook History of Armenia stating that, as Artsakh president, he signed a decree dissolving the Artsakh Republic. Commenting on the ruling, Shahramanyan’s lawyer, Roman Yeritsyan, said the court recognized that the decree was issued under coercion or immediate threat. “Any document signed under duress or imminent threat cannot carry legal force and is considered null from the moment of signing. This principle is recognized under both domestic and international law,” he explained. Yeritsyan added that even if the decree’s factual accuracy were disputed, the court did not consider this sufficient grounds for Shahramanyan to claim personal harm. The court noted that the plaintiff was not only a direct participant in the events described in the textbook but also played a central role in them. The court emphasized that a full and precise account was necessary, citing the current political context and the need to accurately convey historical facts to future generations. “The court also acknowledged that while the plaintiff’s honor and dignity were not harmed, the information in the textbook is incomplete,” Yeritsyan said. “The court considered the documents attached to the claim and confirmed that the concerns raised were legitimate and justified.” Azerbaijan The constitution of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic is set to be amended to remove references to the 1921 Moscow and Kars treaties, according to Azerbaijani media reports. The proposed changes are outlined in a draft Azerbaijani constitutional law titled “On Amendments to the Constitution of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic.” The amendments revise the preamble of the constitution, removing language that links the legal foundations of Nakhichevan’s autonomy to the two international treaties. Under the current constitution, the preamble states that Nakhichevan’s autonomy was established on the basis of the March 16, 1921 Moscow Treaty and the Oct. 13, 1921 Kars Treaty, both of which are described as remaining in force. The revised text replaces that language with a provision stating that the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic is an integral part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Iran The United States and Iran are set to hold talks in Oman on Friday, after Tehran requested a change of venue to focus negotiations exclusively on its nuclear program, a regional official said. The shift from Turkey comes as U.S. forces continue to build up in the Middle East, raising concerns about a potential confrontation. According to the official, Iran views Oman as a continuation of previous Gulf-based talks on its nuclear program and requested the change to prevent the agenda from expanding to issues such as its ballistic missile program or regional proxy activities. The talks will remain bilateral, with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi expected to participate. Earlier plans to include ministers from regional countries — including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates — appear to have been dropped. The U.S. military recently shot down an Iranian drone that approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, underscoring heightened tensions. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the talks are still scheduled for later this week, while President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran are ongoing but declined to specify further details. Russia Russia believes that Armenia’s policy of diversifying its foreign relations does not imply a reduction in cooperation with traditional allies or a reorientation toward groupings seeking to inflict a “strategic defeat” on Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. Lavrov made the remarks during a press conference summarizing the Russian Foreign Ministry’s activities in 2025. He was responding to a media question on whether Russia was leaving its traditional allies — including Armenia, Syria, Venezuela and Iran — “at the mercy of the United States.” Lavrov emphasized that Armenia–Russia relations are built on a strong contractual and legal foundation, underscoring their allied nature. “Our peoples are united by centuries-old friendship, a shared history and common civilizational and worldview approaches,” Lavrov said. He noted that Russia and Armenia cooperate closely within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and that Armenia remains a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) with all associated rights and obligations. Moscow, he said, supports Yerevan’s full participation in the organization’s activities. Lavrov also highlighted the economic dimension of bilateral ties, stating that approximately 35 percent of Armenia’s foreign trade is conducted with Russia. Russian business, he added, remains an important component of Armenia’s socio-economic well-being, with further potential for expanded cooperation. He also pointed to numerous joint educational and cultural initiatives. In addition, Lavrov stressed that the presence of a Russian military base and Russian border guards constitutes a key element not only of Armenia’s security but also of stability in the wider South Caucasus region. According to the Russian foreign minister, countries in the South Caucasus, including Armenia, are increasingly aware that behind what he described as the “benevolent intentions” of Brussels and Washington lies a calculated geopolitical agenda. “For them, this region — historically and inseparably linked to Russia — is nothing more than a convenient ‘battlefield’ through which pressure can be exerted to attempt to damage Russia,” Lavrov said. Lavrov is scheduled to hold talks with Alen Simonyan, speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly, on Feb. 5 in Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced. Simonyan is visiting the Russian capital on an official trip at the invitation of Valentina Matviyenko, chair of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. Zakharova said discussions will focus on bilateral cooperation and current regional issues, with particular attention to cooperation within broader Eurasian multilateral frameworks.