JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
During his two-day visit to the region, U.S. Vice President said lasting peace in the South Caucasus depends on forward-looking leadership, stressing that long-standing disputes can only be resolved through dialogue and the implementation of existing commitments.
Speaking alongside Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Vance said Washington supports peaceful protesters in Iran and noted that future steps on U.S.-Iran negotiations would be determined by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Our president has stated that we stand with peaceful protesters in Iran and support them,” Vance said.
Armenia and the United States signed a joint statement on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, completing negotiations on a so-called 123 Agreement that allows Washington to license nuclear technology and equipment to partner countries.
Vance said the agreement would enable up to $5 billion in initial U.S. exports to Armenia, with an additional $4 billion in longer-term fuel and maintenance contracts.
"This agreement will open a new chapter in the deepening energy partnership between Armenia and the United States," Pashinyan said at a joint press conference with Vance.
Long dependent on Russia and Iran for energy supplies, Armenia is reviewing proposals from U.S., Russian, Chinese, French and South Korean companies to replace its ageing Metsamor nuclear power plant.
During the visit, Pashinyan announced Armenia would purchase V-BAT reconnaissance drones from the United States through the Foreign Military Sales programme. Vance said the roughly $11 million deal would support Armenia’s security and regional stability while contributing to investment and jobs in the U.S. defence sector.
Vance also met Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, who welcomed the visit as a sign of strong bilateral ties and highlighted the importance of achieving lasting peace in the region.
The trip comes six months after Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders signed a White House-brokered agreement seen as the first step toward ending nearly four decades of conflict.
The visit also included announcements of expanded economic engagement under the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) initiative.
The TRIPP corridor, which envisages new or upgraded rail links, oil and gas pipelines and fibre-optic cables, aims to transform the South Caucasus by boosting connectivity, trade and energy cooperation across the region.
Vance is expected to continue his regional diplomacy with a visit to Azerbaijan, where discussions are likely to focus on implementing the peace framework, economic connectivity and long-term stability.
For Azerbaijan, relations with Washington are increasingly centred on energy cooperation, transit routes and a formal strategic partnership.
Associate Professor Orkan Valiyev described TRIPP as a major economic turning point, calling it “a great initiative that came from Azerbaijan” and noting that U.S. involvement has elevated the project’s strategic weight.
"This is a great achievement that the United States is involved in this project," he says, adding that Vice President JD Vance’s visit represents "another huge step for the future of the entire region."
According to Valiyev, the current phase marks a shift from traditional diplomacy toward economic integration, signalling a new stage in Washington’s engagement with the South Caucasus beyond conflict management alone.
Together, these parallel tracks highlight Washington’s expanding role in the South Caucasus as the region gains strategic importance beyond conflict management alone.
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Tensions in the region remained high on Tuesday (10 March), as the United States and Iran exchanged increasingly sharp warnings, including threats over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
Iran and the U.S. exchanged threats on Tuesday, as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Tehran to expect the “most intense day" of attacks so far. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said “anyone who entertains the illusion of destroying Iran knows nothing of history."
The Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point of global concern as tensions rise following the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Tehran has threatened to block the strategic waterway, raising fears of disruption to global oil shipments and energy markets.
Reports of so-called “acid clouds” moving from Iran towards Central Asia are not supported by scientific data, national hydrometeorological services in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan say, adding there is no threat to the region.
Tensions in the region remained high on Tuesday (10 March), as the United States and Iran exchanged increasingly sharp warnings, including threats over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Iran and the U.S. exchanged threats on Tuesday, as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Tehran to expect the “most intense day" of attacks so far. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said “anyone who entertains the illusion of destroying Iran knows nothing of history."
The Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point of global concern as tensions rise following the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Tehran has threatened to block the strategic waterway, raising fears of disruption to global oil shipments and energy markets.
Reports of so-called “acid clouds” moving from Iran towards Central Asia are not supported by scientific data, national hydrometeorological services in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan say, adding there is no threat to the region.
A senior delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has been holding meetings with Georgian government officials, opposition leaders and security authorities this week, as international observers attempt to gauge the country’s political climate following last year’s contentious elections.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has told Masoud Pezeshkian, his Iranian counterpart, that violations of Turkish airspace by Iran could not be justified “for any reason whatsoever.”
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