Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has dismissed Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan and appointed former parliament speaker Alen Simonyan as his replacement.
The changes were announced on Thursday, 13 August, according to Armenpress.
“I have decided to change the Secretary of the Security Council. I am grateful to Armen Grigoryan for the work he has done over the past eight years,” Pashinyan said at a government meeting.
The prime minister did not give a reason for the decision at the time.
Grigoryan has led Armenia’s Security Council since the 2018 revolution, becoming a key figure in the country’s security and foreign policy establishment.
His tenure has spanned some of Armenia’s most difficult years, including renewed conflict with Azerbaijan and subsequent efforts to secure a lasting peace.
One of his more recent initiatives was the Bridge of Peace project, which brought Armenian and Azerbaijani civil society representatives together for meetings in both countries.
The initiative was presented as an effort to build contacts and strengthen confidence between the two societies.
Alen Simonyan takes over at the Security Council after serving as parliament speaker from 2021 to 2026.
His departure from parliament came after he failed to secure another term as speaker with the ruling Civil Contract party.
Simonyan had sought to remain in the post after the June election, but Ruben Rubinyan, Armenia’s chief negotiator with Türkiye, was chosen as speaker.
Simonyan subsequently said he would leave parliament rather than continue as an ordinary MP.
His new appointment returns him to the centre of government, this time in a key national security role.
It remains unclear whether Grigoryan will take up another public position.
Pashinyan thanked him publicly for his work but did not announce a new role for him.
The change comes as Armenia continues its efforts to normalise relations with Azerbaijan and Türkiye while reassessing its traditional security partnerships.
Iran’s central bank governor has sought to reassure the country’s financial markets, saying Tehran has enough foreign currency reserves...
The U.S. has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites as Tehran retaliated against U.S. p...
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called on American companies to expand their presence in China and pledged that Beijing would address their "reas...
Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have gathered in Bishkek for a summit focused on trade, investment and transport as the group marks 25 years since its creation.
U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, with Tehran responding by launching ballistic missiles at two U.S. bases in Jordan in the first direct U.S.-Iran military escalation in weeks.
The U.S. has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites as Tehran retaliated against U.S. positions across the region, while Iranian officials said at least five people were killed and dozens wounded at a wedding near Sirik.
Apple is entering a new era as Tim Cook steps down as chief executive after 15 years at the helm, handing the technology giant's leadership to longtime executive John Ternus.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 1st September, covering the latest developments.
Iran’s central bank governor has sought to reassure the country’s financial markets, saying Tehran has enough foreign currency reserves despite mounting U.S. sanctions and economic pressure.
The Council of the European Union has agreed to suspend import duties on a range of Armenian products for two years to support the country’s economy, after Russia imposed trade restrictions.
There's a fresh buzz around the Anaklia Deep-Water Port site this week, with the arrival of a second dredging vessel called the Al-Idrisi, which has now entered the waters off the future port to join its sister vessel, the Tristao Da Cunha.
A search-and-rescue operation is under way in the Sea of Marmara after two Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collided off Istanbul early on Wednesday, after one ship sank with 10 crew members aboard.
Russian President Vladimir Putin pressed Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to clarify whether Yerevan intends to join the European Union (EU) during a meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek on Tuesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment