Armenia prepared for potential Iran fallout, Pashinyan says

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday that his administration has long been prepared for any possible fallout scenario from the escalation around Iran and the Middle East.

Asked at a press briefing to comment on criticism regarding his reaction to the situation over the weekend, when he was filmed touring Armenian towns together with his party members, Pashinyan dismissed the criticism and said that his administration had established a working group about 1.5 years ago after assessing the situation in the Middle East.

"Of course, we deeply regret what is happening in Iran and in the region in general, and it is very painful for us. However, we must note that, unfortunately, this situation is not new. Those who follow international news at all should have at least had concerns that such a situation could arise. I have already said that we have a working group dealing with this situation. No one asked when that working group, operating under the coordination of the Security Council, was established. That working group was formed about 1 to 1.5 years ago. Since then, it has worked at times on a daily basis, sometimes hourly, and sometimes monthly," Pashinyan said.

All necessary measures that were supposed to be taken have been taken, Pashinyan said, adding that all government institutions have been working on possible scenarios. He said that after the June 2025 military operations against Iran renewed hostilities were not ruled out. 

"I say this so that the impression is not created that the Government of Armenia is careless. No—when others were careless, the Government of Armenia was organizing its actions and making decisions," Pashinyan said.