Analyst: Pashinyan seeks total suppression of internal resistance

Political analyst Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan argues that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s crackdown on his opponents is less about securing domestic power and more about sending a message to foreign partners.

“Pashinyan’s intentions are clear; he seeks the total suppression of internal resistance,” he wrote on Telegram on Saturday. “In the current political climate, Pashinyan doesn’t need such measures to remain in power. Meanwhile, the region is going through serious upheavals which could lead to any developments. There is no doubt that at the first opportunity, Turkey and Azerbaijan will take advantage of even a slight weakening of Iran to advance their long-standing geopolitical and geo-economic agendas. The so-called 'Turkic corridor' through Syunik is just a small part of those plans. The goals are far more ambitious."

Melik-Shahnazaryan suggests that Pashinyan is acting to assure leaders like Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he remains firmly in control and that no unexpected developments will emerge in Armenia.

“Erdogan needs to be assured that Nikol is a 'tough guy' and that no unexpected developments will erupt in Armenia. This is precisely what Nikol is working on. The latest arrests serve no other purpose,” the analyst added.