The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has condemned the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office for initiating criminal proceedings and imposing a travel ban on Catholicos Karekin II, deeming the actions politically motivated and unlawful interference in the Church's affairs. Concurrently, a military court in Baku sentenced former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years in prison on charges including terrorism and crimes against humanity, a verdict his family and legal team decried as predetermined and lacking evidence. In international affairs, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a warning to U.S. President Donald Trump regarding military threats, while Russia reaffirmed its commitment to managing Armenia's railway system and dismissed speculation about divesting the concession. Separately, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized Turkey's indispensable role in constructing a viable European security architecture.