Armenian lawmakers meet AIPAC as Yerevan condemns Israel and echoes Iranian talking points; activists warn that on the ground, pro-Iranian and anti-Israel messaging persists.
An Armenian parliamentary delegation met in Washington this week, with senior figures from AIPAC and the American Jewish Committee (AJC), discussing expanded cooperation and regional security.
According to an official Armenian statement, the sides talked about strengthening bilateral ties and the security situation in the South Caucasus and the Middle East.
At the same time, statements from Yerevan continue to send very different signals. On June 13, 2024, at the start of the latest Israel-Iran flare-up, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry issued a sharply worded statement describing Israel’s air-strikes on Iranian nuclear sites as “a unilateral action that threatens regional stability and global peace” and demanded an immediate halt.
In the United States, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) claimed the strikes “create cover for renewed Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia” and could spark “a wider regional conflict.”
Armenian-language outlets have amplified the same narrative. Asbarez, a California-based news site, wrote that “there is no evidence Iran is rushing to build a nuclear weapon.” Similar columns appeared in The Armenian Weekly and Yerevan’s Aravot, which said Israel is “clearly not a friendly country to us” while portraying Iran as a defender of Armenia’s independence.
Those messages have also spread widely online. Los Angeles-based Zartonk Media shared an Iranian claim that Israel maintains “military bases in Azerbaijan,” a post that circulated across Armenian Telegram channels. Meanwhile, the site Realtribune reported that nine Armenian civic groups in Russia sent a letter to the Iranian Embassy in Moscow condemning Israel’s actions.
Inside Armenia, the small Jewish community has also come under attack. Community sources say that since October 2023, there have been at least four incidents of vandalism targeting Yerevan’s only synagogue, including broken windows, stone-throwing and attempted arson. Some of these cases were kept low-profile, local leaders said, to avoid further escalation.
Israeli diplomatic officials note the stark contrast between Armenia’s cordial outreach to the pro-Israel lobby and its harsh public rhetoric, saying it raises questions about Yerevan’s true stance. Jewish community activists in the US and abroad warn that this gap may reflect an attempt to present a false front to pro-Israel groups and urge a careful reassessment of Armenia’s intentions.
