Iran sends reply to U.S. peace plan as tensions persist in Strait of Hormuz
Iran said on Sunday (10 May) that it had sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at launching peace talks to end the war, as signs of tentative ...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he expects business ties with Azerbaijan to emerge soon, describing economic engagement as key to consolidating peace between the two countries.
Speaking while presenting his ruling Civil Contract party’s 2026 election programme, Pashinyan said the “institutionalisation of peace” between Armenia and Azerbaijan was already under way and had developed a formal legal basis.
He pointed to progress since 2024, including the delimitation and demarcation of sections of the state border in Armenia’s Tavush region, as well as the signing and ratification of regulations governing the joint work of Armenian and Azerbaijani border commissions.
Those agreements, he said, enshrine the Alma-Ata Declaration as the guiding principle for border delimitation, meaning both sides recognise each other’s territories along the borders of their former Soviet republics.
Pashinyan also highlighted developments in 2025, including the initialling of a bilateral peace agreement and the Washington Declaration, which set out principles for normalisation and the reopening of regional transport routes.
Looking ahead, he outlined steps to deepen the peace process.
These include continuing border delimitation, implementing transport connectivity initiatives under the so-called TRIPP framework agreed with the United States in January 2026, and finalising and ratifying the peace agreement between the two countries.
Beyond formal agreements, Pashinyan stressed the importance of broader engagement between societies.
“Contacts between civil society and business community representatives, bilateral trade, and political, cultural, and humanitarian dialogue are important tools for institutionalising peace,” he said.
He added that some of these processes were already taking shape, noting early signs of limited trade and growing civil society interaction.
“I hope and am convinced that business ties will also be established in the near future, which is one of the key means and tools for institutionalising peace,” Pashinyan said.
Azerbaijani officials have also emphasised the economic and strategic benefits of normalising ties, arguing that a final peace agreement would unlock regional trade routes and boost connectivity across the South Caucasus.
Baku has prioritised the unblocking of transport links, including routes connecting mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave, as part of wider internationally backed initiatives.
Signs of normalisation have already emerged, with Azerbaijan resuming limited fuel shipments to Armenia after decades, signalling progress towards economic co-operation.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
British paratroopers and military medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha after a suspected hantavirus case was confirmed, as first evacuation flights carrying passengers from the stricken MV Hondius cruise ship left Tenerife for Madrid and Paris.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Indonesian rescue teams have located two Singaporeans who went missing after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday (8 May) on the island of Halmahera, though authorities say it remains unclear whether they are alive.
The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) on Friday (8 May), following an order from President Donald Trump. U.S. officials described as a push for “unprecedented transparency”.
Iran said on Sunday (10 May) that it had sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at launching peace talks to end the war, as signs of tentative movement emerged around the Strait of Hormuz despite renewed security incidents across the Gulf.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cited Azerbaijan as an example of what he described as a sovereign foreign policy, recalling remarks made by President Ilham Aliyev during talks in Yerevan, where he sharply criticised resolutions adopted against his country by the European Parliament.
SOCAR has completed the acquisition of a 99.82% stake in Italiana Petroli (IP) from API Holding after receiving all required regulatory approvals.
Fuel exports from Azerbaijan to Armenia are continuing, with eight rail wagons carrying 479 tonnes of diesel fuel dispatched as part of the latest shipment between the two South Caucasus neighbours.
A Kyrgyz–Japanese archaeological expedition has uncovered the remains of a Buddhist temple complex at the medieval settlement of Ak-Beshim, also known as Suyab, in Kyrgyzstan’s Chui Region.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment