Narek Karapetyan: We should not be in the middle of conflicting interests of regional powers
ArmInfo. Armenia cannot and should not be a point where the conflicting interests of regional powers converge, said Narek Karapetyan, speaking on the First Public Channel. Karapetyan leads the "Strong Armenia" party's electoral list for the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, 2026.
Continually fending off the interviewer's repetitive, rehearsed remark about why he disagrees with the idea that "Strong Armenia" is a pro-Russian political force, Karapetyan emphasized that in strengthening the country, its economic and military might, Armenia must not be turned into an anti-Russian outpost, exploiting the contradictions between major regional powers, thereby creating major threats to Russia and Iran. "We are saying that Armenia's leadership should not be anti-Russian, should not be anti-Iranian, and should work with all countries in the region to build a long-term model of peaceful coexistence for the sake of development," Karapetyan emphasized.
In response to the repeated question about pro-Russian sentiment, Karapetyan countered this stubborn, even professionally incorrect, memorized narrative, declaring that there is a big difference between so- called "pro-Russian sentiment" and protecting national interests. "[Civil Contract] pro-government forces daily sling mud at Russia, a country to which we export 60% of our exports," he said. Karapetyan emphasized that "Strong Armenia" believes that the country's interests are based on two main pillars: economic interest and national interest. The first concerns the country's economy's strong ties to the Russian market, and the second concerns the fact that more than 2 million Armenians live in Russia, and the country should not create issues for them. Armenia itself shouldn't create issues with any major country, including the United States, where approximately 1 million Armenians live.
When asked why Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova supported "Strong Armenia," Karapetyan questioned the interviewer's knowledge of the facts, noting Russia's undeniable concern about the country's leadership's anti-Russian stance. "You remain silent and fail to criticize in your studio the direct interference in the internal affairs of Fidan (Turkish Foreign Minister - Ed.) or the country's Defense Minister, who allows himself to directly interfere in Armenia's domestic political processes," Karapetyan retorted. "We are not pro-Russian, pro-Iranian, or pro-American. We are committed to establishing good relations with Iran, Russia, and the United States. If you think we are pro- Iranian, pro-Russian, or pro-American, that's your business," he said, clearly tired of the journalist's "broken record."