Pashinyan vs Armenian Church Political clash heats up ahead of 2026 elections

Events in Armenia show no sign of cooling off. And indeed, why should they? The 2026 election campaign is approaching, which means things are only going to heat up further.

In this context, it’s hardly surprising that the confrontation between Pashinyan and the Armenian Church has for some time now effectively descended below the belt — and in recent days, quite literally. First, representatives of Etchmiadzin suggested that the current prime minister had once undergone circumcision. The Catholicosate thus provoked a sharp response — albeit delivered in the most polite of terms.

Here’s what Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook page: "A representative of Ktrich Nersisyan (Garegin II — ed.) made a statement claiming that I was supposedly circumcised. I am ready to meet with Ktrich Nersisyan and his press secretary and prove the opposite. And let him, at long last, answer this: did he break his vow of celibacy or not? Does he have a child — or not?" Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook page.

As the saying goes, you reap what you sow. Pashinyan’s words will likely be remembered as one of the most shocking instances of a secular leader humiliating spiritual figures.

It is important to note that, administratively, Pashinyan cannot defeat the church. None of the four main centres of the Armenian Church supported the impeachment of Catholicos Garegin II. However, a series of damaging blows to the church’s reputation have struck Etchmiadzin hard—perhaps even more significant than removing its leader. This public humiliation is a serious matter in deeply patriarchal and religious Armenian society and risks alienating many faithful followers from the Catholicos. If left unaddressed, the church’s standing could rapidly diminish in the eyes of its believers.

While the church itself may avoid direct retaliation, it is likely to seek a secular proxy—preferably someone with business or even criminal ties—to respond. Yet Pashinyan has already acted against such figures, including the Russian-backed billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, head of the Tashir Group. Just a week ago, Karapetyan publicly defended the church, stating: “A small group, having forgotten Armenian history—the thousand-year legacy of the Armenian Church—has attacked the Armenian Church and the Armenian people.”

The air had barely cooled from these heated words when a “small group” from Armenia’s internal security forces showed up at Karapetyan’s house and detained him. The Armenian authorities accused Samvel Karapetyan of publicly calling for the seizure of power in the country. Pashinyan declared that “Electric Networks of Armenia,” owned by Karapetyan’s Tashir Group, should be nationalised. This would be the first significant step toward freeing Armenia from economic dependence on its oldest strategic partner — Russia.

The resonance of Karapetyan’s arrest in Russia is reflected, for example, in the headline of the well-known publication Komsomolskaya Pravda: “Pashinyan has gone mad and sent special forces against Russian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan.” The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, stated that Moscow is closely monitoring the situation surrounding Karapetyan and called the grounds for the entrepreneur’s arrest strange. She noted that the Russian foreign ministry would provide Karapetyan with any necessary assistance.

But Russia has not limited itself to loud headlines and warnings. Recently, reports emerged that the FSB and the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation uncovered a criminal scheme involving the illegal smuggling of Russian diamonds from the company Alrosa into Armenia — reportedly linked directly to deputy and oligarch Khachatur Sukiasyan. Known for his shadowy past, Sukiasyan is said to be a longtime friend and financial backer of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. However, Sukiasyan’s associates have denied any involvement in the theft or smuggling of Russian diamonds.

Clearly, this is not the last blow Moscow will deliver against Pashinyan. So far, the prime minister has managed to defend himself, but what comes next remains to be seen. One thing is certain — the risk of Armenia becoming a battleground for various conflicts continues to grow.