LIVE: Key morning headlines from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia

● An operational meeting on military development was held over the weekend with the participation of President Ilham Aliyev. The president and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva were briefed on the tactical and technical characteristics of the SALVO (SİDV) and KAYRA (KİDV) naval drones developed by Azerbaijani companies operating under the Defence Ministry. Practical tests of the drones were also conducted.

● An investigation has been launched into a tractor hitting a mine in the Aghdam district, which was recaptured from Armenian forces following the 2020 Second Karabakh War. The tractor driver was injured. Azerbaijan’s Mine Action Agency (ANAMA), Interior Ministry and Prosecutor General’s Office again urged the public to follow safety rules, avoid touching suspicious objects and stay away from unfamiliar areas.

● Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva called statements by Armenian human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan “groundless and biased”. Sahakyan accused Azerbaijan of ethnic and religious discrimination against Armenians held in Azerbaijani prisons. The detainees are former military and political leaders of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, convicted of war crimes against Azerbaijan. “Sahakyan unlawfully claimed, without providing any supporting evidence, that they are being tortured, their Christian religious symbols are being destroyed, the use of the Bible is prohibited and prisoners are being forced to read the Quran,” the ombudsman said. She added that her office had repeatedly monitored the conditions of people of Armenian origin held in Azerbaijan and held confidential meetings with them, finding that their rights and freedoms were protected in line with international standards, without discrimination. Aliyeva described Sahakyan’s statements as an attempt to undermine ongoing peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

● Farid Shafiyev, head of Azerbaijan’s Centre of Analysis of International Relations and Multiculturalism, sent a letter of protest to the British newspaper The Guardian, expressing outrage over what he called the publication’s one-sided review of The Black Garden, a documentary directed by an Armenian filmmaker. “The review repeats a false political narrative. Azerbaijan, whose territories were under Armenian occupation for almost three decades, is effectively portrayed as the aggressor, while the Armenian side is presented exclusively as the victim,” Shafiyev wrote. He noted that the review did not mention that “around 700,000 Azerbaijanis were forcibly displaced from their homes in Karabakh and surrounding areas over almost three decades, while entire cities and villages were systematically destroyed and looted.” He also said the review failed to mention four UN Security Council resolutions calling for the withdrawal of Armenian forces from Azerbaijani territory and reaffirming Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. “The film was produced at the initiative and with the financial support of circles opposing the normalisation of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. […] This is particularly concerning at a time when Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is pursuing a fundamentally different political course and has made peace with Azerbaijan a key priority of his political agenda,” the letter said.

● Azerbaijani musicians have joined the Pan-Caucasian Youth Orchestra, which presented its programme at the Tsinandali Festival of Classical Music in Georgia’s Kakheti region. The orchestra was established in 2019 and is led by renowned violinist Lisa Batiashvili and maestro Gianandrea Noseda. Young musicians from neighbouring countries are selected annually through a competitive process. In 2026, the orchestra includes young musicians from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Moldova, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. During the festival, which runs from September 3 to 13, the orchestra will give four concerts.

● Severe weather is expected in Azerbaijan from Monday, with heavy rain and hail forecast in several regions and possible snow in high-altitude areas. The Emergency Situations Ministry urged residents to follow safety precautions, including staying away from areas at risk of landslides and flooding, lightweight structures and temporary buildings, and avoiding standing near electricity poles and tall trees during strong winds. The ministry also advised against using mobile phones outdoors during lightning and thunderstorms, among other precautions.

● An agricultural business festival and the third Raspberry Festival were held in Goygol over the weekend. Hundreds of local and foreign companies took part, including suppliers of innovative equipment for farmers. The festivals aim to promote agricultural products grown in the Ganja-Dashkasan economic region.

● “Armenia still has a long way to go to prepare for EU membership. This process involves not only legislative changes but also a change in mindset and society’s attitude towards European values,” Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan said at a press conference in Prague, summing up his official visit to the Czech Republic. He said Armenia believes meeting EU membership criteria will require long-term and consistent efforts.

● Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to Russia could take place soon, but no exact dates have been set.

● Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan will pay a working visit to Riga on September 6–7. He is scheduled to meet Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, followed by joint statements to the press. Other high-level meetings and discussions are also planned. The agenda includes bilateral Armenian-Latvian relations, including further development of trade and economic ties, as well as deeper Armenia-EU partnership.

● Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said he sees no signs of Armenia successfully shifting to other markets instead of Russia. “Some limited assistance has been provided to them, but it is nothing compared with the large and familiar market that Russia represents for them. And we have also grown accustomed to these products,” Overchuk said.

● Labour and Social Affairs Minister Arsen Torosyan attended an event at the Ukrainian Embassy marking the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence as an honorary guest. Torosyan said Armenia attaches great importance to the consistent expansion of bilateral relations with Ukraine based on friendship. He said increased high-level visits and contacts in recent months had given fresh impetus to relations between the two countries.

● A presentation was held in Yerevan of a book by former Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan, titled “Take a Step — Reject Serzh”. The title refers to former President Serzh Sargsyan, who was replaced in 2018 by the current ruling Civil Contract party following the “Velvet Revolution”. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke at the presentation, saying that eight years after the revolution he still sees it not as a completed event, but as an opportunity to set new challenges for society every day. Pashinyan admitted that during his years in power he had experienced moments of deep disappointment and regretted his decision to lead the government in 2018. “There were days when I cursed the day I became prime minister,” he said.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 31 August-4 September, 2026