US Vice President JD Vance said Iran holds the deciding hand in what comes next in the Middle East conflict, while rejecting reports that recent peace talks in Pakistan ended in failure.

Vance’s remarks in an interview with Fox News come after his weekend trip to Pakistan for face-to-face negotiations with Iranian officials – talks that reports suggested produced no breakthrough.

“The ball is very much in their court,” Vance told “Special Report” anchor Bret Baier on Monday. “You ask what happens next, I think the Iranians are going to determine what happens next.”

Vance said there were “good conversations” during the weekend talks that helped clarify U.S. priorities, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial international oil route.

“I wouldn’t just say that things went wrong. I also think things went right. We made a lot of progress,” he said, according to Fox News.

“They moved in our direction, which is why I think we would say that we had some good signs, but they didn’t move far enough.”

Vance told Fox News that the Pakistan peace talks ultimately ended because Iranian negotiators were unable to finalize a deal, adding that the discussions revealed insights into who holds decision-making authority in Tehran.

“We acquired some knowledge about how the Iranians are negotiating, and this is ultimately why we left Pakistan,” he said.

“What we figured out is that they were unable, I think — the team that was there, was unable to cut a deal,” he explained. “They had to go back to Tehran, either from the supreme leader or somebody else, and actually get approval to the terms that we had set.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump instituted a naval blockade of all Iranian ports Monday, 

“What they [Iranians] have done is engage in this act of economic terrorism against the entire world. They’ve basically threatened any ship that’s moving through the Straits of Hormuz. Well, as the President of the United States showed, two can play at that game,” Vance said.

U.S. navy ships have been ordered to identify and flag any Iran-affiliated vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

Vance said that given the United States’ ceasefire agreement, he expects Iran to fully reopen the critical trade route, but admitted that it was a goal point that Iranians “tried to move” during the Pakistan talks.

A former student opened fire at a high school in southeast Türkiye on Tuesday, wounding at least 16 people before killing himself, the Associated Press reported citing an official.

The 18-year-old attacker, armed with a shotgun, fired randomly at a vocational high school in Siverek, Sanliurfa province, before hiding inside the building. He later killed himself with the same shotgun, Gov. Hasan Sildak said, according to AP.

The attack left 10 students, four teachers, a canteen employee and a police officer wounded, Sildak said. While most of them were being treated in Siverek, five of the wounded teachers and students were transferred to a hospital in the provincial capital because their conditions were more serious, the governor said.

The motive for the attack remains unclear.

Earlier, media reports said all students were evacuated and police special operations units were deployed after the assailant refused to surrender.

Video footage showed dozens of students running out of the school toward the gate and onto the street.

Member of the European Parliament and the European Parliament’s permanent rapporteur on Armenia, Miriam Lexmann, believes that the European Union and the United States should jointly exert pressure on Azerbaijan to secure the release of Armenian prisoners held there.

The MEP expressed this view in an interview with Armenpress correspondent in Brussels.

In the interview, Lexmann also touched upon Armenia–European Union relations, expectations for the upcoming Armenia–EU and European Political Community summits in Yerevan, the EU’s actions ahead of the upcoming elections in Armenia in the context of countering possible external interference, and other related issues.

–The European Parliament has been vocal in supporting Armenia’s European aspirations. What concrete stepsshould Armenia realistically expect from the EU in the next 6 to 12 months?

-It’s not up to the EU to fulfill these criteria. Of course, the European Union is happy to support Armenia through different programs. There will be a summit very, very soon. Then there will be also the EPC ( the European Political Community) summit afterwards, where the European Union is going to talk mainly about investments in different infrastructure, digitalization, competitiveness, and other issues . So practically, the European Union cannot help Armenia in fulfilling the criteria which are necessary for membership, but the European Union is already helping. I mean, a part of the CEPA agreement is also helping in the investments through Global Gateway and other programs.

So practically, to make the whole region more resilient, because we do see that unfortunately for many years the European Union was underestimating the Russian efforts to be the dominant force in the region. And for us, it’s extremely important to support the country also through these infrastructure projects, especially when the citizens express their willingness and their vision to see their future in the European Union.

The European Union is monitoring the neighboring relations, especially with Azerbaijan and Turkey, because Azerbaijan and Turkey are partners with the European Union on a certain level as well, and it is very important that we are going to support also the steps which lead to better relations between these countries. So this is extremely important for the European Union.

After all, the European Union started after two extremely sad wars, where through economic cooperation, through infrastructure, through building also citizens’ relations, the European Union built the origin, the main pillars of the current European Union. Practically, countries, after facing wars against each other, were able to come back to develop partnerships, programs, economic cooperation, through mainly economic cooperation.

 –When Brussels says it supports Armenia’s European path, what should that support mean in practical terms: visa liberalisation, stronger security cooperation, deeper economic integration, or a clearer political roadmap?

– Of course, all of this. And in all of this, Armenia must play a role, because this is not our homework, but Armenia’s homework. You mentioned, for example, visa liberalization. Of course, there are certain criteria. After these criteria are fulfilled, the European Union can make further steps into visa liberalization. One of the still difficult criteria for Armenia is to safeguard the borders of Armenia. We know that historically this was not in the hands of the Armenians, so it’s very important that Armenia does all the necessary steps, that the borders are really safeguarded in order that the European Union can proceed with the visa liberalization steps.

–On the issue of Armenian prisoners held in Baku, do you believe EU engagement with Azerbaijan should be conditioned on their release, and if not, what leverage is the EU prepared to use?

-It’s very difficult to say in what way these people can be freed as soon as possible. And of course, it’s my interest as a rapporteur for Armenia that we create and assert the necessary pressure. On a regular basis, we are expressing our demand to the European Commission to deal with this issue, because obviously, as you also said, we have also leverage on Azerbaijan through the cooperation with Azerbaijan. So, in this sense, it’s very important that the European Union is using this leverage in order to make sure that these people will be freed as soon as possible. Of course, we are coordinating with the government of Armenia, because we see that this is of high concern also to the government, and we are trying to jointly assert the pressure on the Azerbaijani side that these people will be freed.

 –The European Parliament has often taken a stronger tone on Armenia than other EU institutions. Where do you see the main gap today: between Parliament and the Commission, between Parliament and the Council, or among Member States themselves?

-You mean the release of the political prisoners?

–Not only, in general concerning Armenia, because the tone is much stronger only in this institution.

-Well, I mean, in a way it’s obvious, because we can have a strong tone, but the delivery needs to be on the Commission side, and often, even in real life, it’s easier to pronounce something than to realise it. So I would say that we are those who are making the decisions and the pressure on the European Commission. So do some of the member states. But the delivery is in the hands of the European Commission. But unfortunately, we have to say that if the delivery in terms of release of political prisoners will be in the Commission’s hands, the people will be already freed. Unfortunately, their freedom is held hostage by the Azeri side.

It’s very difficult to say if the European Commission has used all possible means. I’m sure that they tried all possible means, but I hope, I really hope, that this pressure, after all, will be respected on the Azeri side, and they will also like to be seen as a partner and not hold these political prisoners for the future.

I also hope, that the United States will also join forces and create the pressure on the Azeri side, because there is a strong interest also of the United States to improve the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan through the TRIPP project. I believe that this should be part of it.

So jointly, the EU and the United States should assert pressure on the Azeri side that these people will be freed as soon as possible.

–Ahead of Armenia’s upcoming elections, what do you see as the main democratic risks, and what kind of EU support would make the greatest difference on the ground?

– I see as the main actually political risk the interference of Russia into the elections. We already see some efforts from the Russian side, which are already happening at this moment, and I believe that this is the highest risk. For the European Union, it’s important that the people in Armenia will freely decide about their future. And we are trying to do our help. We have already sent some people who are supposed to monitor and help to kind of monitor the social media in order to detect interference, disinformation, and so on and so on.

Of course, there will be observers of the elections on the ground monitoring the elections, the procedures of the elections. We have to make sure that the interference attempts from Russia will be stopped and that the people in Armenia will be able to freely decide about their future.

– Looking at the upcoming EU-Armenia summit, what is the one concrete decision or outcome that must be delivered for Armenians to feel that the EU’s support is credible and not merely rhetorical?

I think that at the summit, the main topics will be the resilience of Armenia against geopolitical pressures, economic development, competitiveness, and trade. So I believe that Armenians will feel that the European Union is ready to support Armenia in all these areas. I believe that this is a clear signal that the European Union also sees Armenia as a potential future member. And, of course, if the Armenian people decide so, the membership will be realized. On the other hand, we also have to say that the process is extremely difficult.

Especially now in the European Union, we see that there is enlargement fatigue. And it’s very difficult to say what will be the reactions in the member states, because the membership will have to be approved by the member states. In some member states, it’s through referendum. In some member states, it’s through parliamentary votes. And of course, this is a question of the next many, many years.

But what I would say is that what is also important, maybe as homework for the European Union and for our future, is that I have been to North Macedonia a few days ago, and we were also discussing that unfortunately, due to fatigue and geopolitical turmoil, the European Union is maybe slowing down the kind of pressure on states to continue with the different steps that are necessary for membership.

I believe that the European Union should make some kind of very clear midterm achievement for these countries, where they will have the feeling that they are part of a larger family. Because, I mean, even if the EPC summit, which will take place in Armenia now, shows that the European Union, together with its southern and eastern neighborhood, is trying to coordinate, as it already sees these countries as important partners in order to face geopolitical turmoil.

I guess that this needs to be communicated very clearly, that it is not only important for us to coordinate with our neighborhood in order to strengthen the resilience of the European Union, but it is also important to make it clear that the gestures towards these countries are very clear, that we count on you.

I hope that the summit will be able to send such a gesture, and that the Armenian people will be inspired by the positive results of mutual efforts from Armenia and the European Union, which can benefit people on both sides.

–I would also like to ask for your opinion, as the rapporteur on Armenia, concerning the displaced Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.This issue seems to be sometimes on the agenda and sometimes not, but we do not speak about it very much. Where does the question of these displaced Armenians stand on your agenda in the European Parliament, and perhaps also within the EPP Group, given that they are still waiting for concrete action from the European side as well?

-O course, this is a very important topic as well, and I hope it will be never forgotten. I’ve never forgotten the suffering of the people who had to leave their homes. And it has two dimensions. One dimension is definitely the people, their well-being, and also their future, if they decide to return, that there will be no conditions which will be unacceptable for them. So I believe that this is part of the negotiations in the future where the European Union must step in and must allow these people, if they wish so, to be able to return home, without being conditioned in such a way that the return will not be possible.

I don’t want to go into the details, but I think here the European Union should play a role again in engaging with the Azeri side, because there are also international treaties on rights of people, and this needs to be looked into.

Another part of the whole picture is also that, of course, in the meantime, I think the European Union should help ensure that people who are now living in refugee camps find a mid-term home somewhere in conditions that safeguard their dignity and do not involve living in very harsh conditions, as they had to flee their homes. So this would be the mid-term solution, but the long-term solution is that, I believe, they should have the possibility to return home without being forced, against their will, to meet conditions that are impossible to fulfill.

When it comes to land and cultural and religious heritage, this is another very important topic. I have been holding a couple of meetings and hearings with people from UNESCO, because there is a high interest, and there should also be high interest from the European side in protecting these sites from damage, as it is our shared Christian heritage. I mean, European heritage has Christian roots, and we have to be strong on this: that this heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh should be protected. I think the European Union should probably do more to safeguard these sites in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia is stepping up efforts to protect biodiversity, with new policies, challenges, and international cooperation shaping the agenda.

In this context, hosting COP17 in Yerevan this year is seen as a key opportunity to align national priorities with global biodiversity goals.

In an interview with Armenpress, Voskehat Grigoryan, Head of the Department for Specially Protected Areas of Nature and Biodiversity Policy at the Armenian Ministry of Environment and National Focal Point for the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, outlined Armenia’s priorities, challenges, and expectations in the field of biodiversity conservation. She highlighted the adoption of laws and regulatory legal acts aimed at biodiversity conservation and protection as a key priority.

COP17—the Seventeenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity—will be held in Yerevan, Armenia, in October 2026. The implementation progress of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is expected to be assessed during the meeting. The framework sets out an ambitious pathway to reach the global vision of a world living in harmony with nature by 2050. Among the Framework’s key elements are 4 goals for 2050 and 23 targets for 2030. 

Armenpress: What expectations does Armenia have from the COP17 conference to be held in Yerevan this year in terms of biodiversity conservation?

Grigoryan: Armenia views hosting COP17 as a unique political and diplomatic opportunity to align global and national agendas in the field of biodiversity conservation. First and foremost, it is expected that progress in implementing the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework will be assessed, along with more systematic integration of its requirements at the national level.

The conference serves as an important platform to bring together international partners—including governmental, scientific, community, and private sector actors—to undertake coordinated and effective environmental actions, attract financial and technical support, and further clarify national targets. It also provides Armenia with an opportunity to act as an active regional player in environmental initiatives and to enhance the country’s role in the global environmental agenda.

One of our key objectives is to combine the conservation of Armenia’s ecosystems, species, and genetic resources with their sustainable use and restoration. This is especially important for a country like Armenia, where biodiversity conservation is directly linked to the sustainable use of water resources, land, and forests, as well as climate resilience, tourism, agriculture, and other dynamic sectors.

– What are the main challenges currently facing Armenia in the field of biodiversity conservation?

– In recent decades, large-scale human-driven and resource-intensive activities worldwide have led to the rapid and irreversible loss of biodiversity and natural ecosystems.

A significant portion of threats to biodiversity is caused by habitat loss, degradation, and changes in environmental conditions. These threats can be both human-induced and natural, including direct and indirect impacts, and are often interconnected as part of complex risk factors.

The direct causes of habitat loss and degradation are primarily human-induced. These include mining and other industrial activities, large-scale infrastructure development, hydropower projects, agriculture and the food industry, deforestation, recreation and tourism, household pollution, overexploitation of biological resources, the spread of invasive species, military activities, forest fires, the impact of diseases and pests on ecosystems, and climate change.

There are also systemic governance challenges, such as incomplete data and monitoring systems, limited financial resources, and insufficient coordination between sectoral policies.

– What biodiversity changes have been observed in different regions of Armenia over the past 5–10 years?

– During this period, both negative and positive trends have been recorded in Armenia. Negative changes are mainly reflected in habitat loss, a decline in certain species populations, and disruptions in ecosystem structure. At the same time, due to the expansion of protected areas, the implementation of restoration programs, and improvements in management mechanisms, some regions show signs of ecosystem recovery—including increased stability of forest and aquatic ecosystems. These changes vary in intensity across regions, depending on both natural and socio-economic factors.

– Which consequences of ecosystem degradation do you consider most significant for people?

– The consequences of ecosystem degradation have a direct impact on people’s quality of life and economic stability. The most significant include biodiversity loss or negative changes in species composition, the spread of invasive species, the reduction and instability of water resources, declining soil fertility, increased risks in agriculture, intensified climate impacts, a higher likelihood of natural disasters, and worsening living conditions in communities.

Unregulated water use, intensive agriculture, uncontrolled ecotourism, and rapid construction in large cities can further aggravate these negative effects if not managed according to sustainable development principles.

– Which policy issues in the sector require urgent attention?

– Priority should be given to adopting laws and regulatory legal acts aimed at biodiversity conservation and protection, along with the steps and measures supporting them. It is also essential to develop and adopt biodiversity-related programs and policies, implement systematic monitoring, and approve methodological and procedural regulations for such monitoring. Conducting state-level research is also crucial.

– To what extent do state programs correspond to the real needs of ecosystem and species conservation, and how would you assess the effectiveness of existing laws and regulations?

– Armenia’s legislative framework in the field of biodiversity is relatively well developed and provides the main regulations for conservation and use. However, legal provisions alone are sometimes insufficient to fully address existing challenges. A more integrated, action-oriented legal framework is needed—one based on science-driven management and active community participation.

State programs largely align with international commitments and are aimed at achieving key biodiversity conservation goals. They include conservation, restoration, and management components. Nevertheless, actual needs often exceed available financial and institutional capacities, which calls for continuous program development, increased efficiency, and expanded international cooperation.

– What role do local communities play in data collection and nature conservation?

– Communities located near specially protected natural areas, as primary stakeholders, play a key role in biodiversity conservation. They are involved in natural resource management, as well as in monitoring and data collection processes, ensuring the availability and accuracy of information at the local level.

The example of the Arpa Protected Landscape clearly demonstrates that communities are a vital link in conservation efforts, balancing environmental and socio-economic interests and contributing to sustainable development. This is especially important in remote mountainous areas, where state oversight is limited.

Community involvement increases the effectiveness of programs. To support this, educational initiatives aimed at capacity building are implemented, ensuring long-term and sustainable outcomes.

Azerbaijan has exported another batch of oil products to Armenia, according to the Azerbaijani APA news agency.

A total of 22 railcars (1,298 tons) of diesel fuel has been sent to Armenia, according to the report.

So far, Azerbaijan has exported 6,312 tons of diesel, 979 tons of AI-92 gasoline, and 2,955 tons of AI-95 gasoline to Armenia, according to APA.

In addition, another shipment from Russia (240 tons of fertilizer) to Armenia has been carried out via transit through Azerbaijan.

According to APA, to date, 23,900 tons of grain, more than 1,100 tons of fertilizer, and 68 tons of buckwheat have been transported from Russia to Armenia via Azerbaijan.

The cargo passes through Georgian territory, as the direct rail connection between Armenia and Azerbaijan has not yet been restored.

Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan said on Tuesday that he will hold meetings with his Azerbaijani and Georgian counterparts during the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, which will take place in Istanbul, Türkiye.

Simonyan will lead a delegation to Türkiye from 16–19 April to participate in the 152nd IPU Assembly.

“Speakers of parliaments from many countries will be present there. At this stage, meetings are scheduled with my counterparts from Azerbaijan and Georgia,” Simonyan said.

Simonyan met his Azerbaijani counterpart, Sahiba Gafarova, during the 151st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva.

Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan said on Tuesday that he maintains “very good and respectful” relations with his Russian counterpart, Valentina Matviyenko, and that the main reason for phoning her earlier this month was to convey birthday greetings.

Simonyan was asked at a press briefing to elaborate on the phone call, as the readout did not mention specifics.

“The phone call was made on the occasion of my colleague’s birthday. I must say that I have very good and respectful relations with the head of the Federation Council, and we always speak openly and directly, within a framework of mutual respect. In a few days, I will be traveling to Istanbul, and she will also be there. I assume we will interact there. This is not about an official meeting, but simply about informal interaction,” Simonyan said, referring to his upcoming visit to Türkiye for the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly.

Simonyan spoke by phone on April 7 with the Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Valentina Matviyenko.

Simonyan earlier said that meetings with his Azerbaijani and Georgian counterparts are also expected during the IPU Assembly.

Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan, a senior member of the ruling Civil Contract party, said on Tuesday that all problems with Russia will be resolved through dialogue.

“We will raise all issues with Russia and try to move forward by resolving them,” he said at a press briefing when asked about economic issues with Russia.

“We do not pose any threat to Russia and do not intend to become one; there is no such intention. There are some issues, and such issues exist between all countries. At times, these issues increase or decrease. That’s what we politicians are for — to discuss and resolve these issues,” Simonyan added.

Bright Armenia Party leader Edmon Marukyan announced on Tuesday that his party will run for parliament in the June 7 elections.

In a statement, former lawmaker and former Ambassador-at-Large Edmon Marukyan said his efforts to unite the entire opposition into a single force had not yielded results, and that each political force is running on its own. He said he had been trying to unite the opposition for the past six months.

“We acknowledge that it did not work out; each of us went our separate ways, and Karpis and I have decided to go our own way, with a single goal — to serve the Republic of Armenia,” Marukyan said, referring to Karpis Pashoyan, the journalist and podcaster with whom he co-hosts a weekly program.

Meanwhile, Pashoyan said he is temporarily stepping down as a political commentator and from his journalistic role, and will run for parliament under the Bright Armenia party list.

Pashoyan added that over the past six months they had done everything possible to consolidate the opposition and create a joint electoral list, but nothing had come of it.

“Our partners chose a different path, and we decided to go our own way. And what is our path? To participate in the elections with our own agenda, with our modest approach, but with big ideas — very big ideas,” Pashoyan wrote.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has received Benjamin Haddad, France’s Minister Delegate for European Affairs.

According to a readout from Pashinyan’s office, during the meeting the sides discussed issues related to the agenda of Armenia–France bilateral relations and the further development of multifaceted cooperation. They also touched upon Armenia–EU cooperation, as well as matters related to hosting the European Political Community Summit in Armenia.

Pashinyan and Haddad also exchanged views on regional developments and steps aimed at ensuring peace and stability.

Both sides emphasized the importance of continuing active political dialogue and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.