Pashinyan Ousts Armenia’s Security Council Chief Armen Grigoryan After Eight Years, Names Alen Simonyan as Replacement

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan replaced Armenia’s longtime Security Council secretary on Thursday, naming Alen Simonyan to the post after Armen Grigoryan’s more than eight years in the role.

Pashinyan announced the change during a government meeting, where Grigoryan made his final appearance as Security Council secretary.

“I have decided to make a change in the position of Security Council secretary,” Pashinyan said.

Grigoryan thanked Pashinyan and his colleagues before leaving the post.

“Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for your warm words, your trust and our work together,” Grigoryan said. “I would also like to thank all my colleagues for their cooperation throughout this entire period. Thank you all. It was a great honor to serve the Republic of Armenia.”

Grigoryan had held the position since May 17, 2018, shortly after the Velvet Revolution brought Pashinyan to power. A member of the ruling Civil Contract party, he remained in the job for more than eight years.

His tenure spanned some of the most consequential security developments Armenia has faced since independence, including the 2020 war over Nagorno-Karabakh, subsequent fighting with Azerbaijan and major changes in Yerevan’s foreign and security policy.

Simonyan is another senior figure in Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party. He served as speaker of Armenia’s eighth National Assembly beginning in August 2021 and previously held the post of deputy speaker.

Following Armenia’s 2026 parliamentary elections, Simonyan announced July 2 that he would give up the parliamentary mandate he received in the vote.

As Security Council secretary, Simonyan takes on a central role in coordinating Armenia’s national security policy at a time when Yerevan is pursuing a peace process with Azerbaijan and reshaping its relationships with regional and international partners.

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