Edgar Ghazaryan, a public and political figure, stated at the Mirror Club that the recent wave of offensive remarks directed at senior clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Church by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Anna Hakobyan, and their political allies is part of a broader anti-church campaign that began in June 2018 with the "New Armenia, New Catholicos" movement, as reported by Aravot.

Ghazaryan emphasized that the latest attack was initiated by Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, the spiritual leader of Muslims in the Caucasus, whom he described as possibly Pashinyan's spiritual guide. During a conference in Azerbaijan, Pashazadeh claimed that Etchmiadzin is Azerbaijani territory. Ghazaryan recalled that since last year, Pashinyan has been asserting that approximately 70% of Armenia's territory, according to Azerbaijan's constitution, belongs to Azerbaijan, listing regions including Armavir. Ghazaryan questioned what else in Armavir could be considered Azerbaijani besides the area known as the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, suggesting that Azerbaijan aims to assert control over the Armenian nation's principal cathedral.

On May 22, Pashazadeh disparaged the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Mother See, and the Catholicosate of Cilicia, denigrating the church's ideology. In response, the Mother See issued a strong rebuttal the following day, which Ghazaryan noted would not have pleased Pashazadeh's spiritual protégé.

Ghazaryan further mentioned that following these events, the Catholicos of All Armenians traveled to Switzerland to participate in a significant academic discussion he had initiated. The event gathered bishops, political and public figures, and scholars from various countries and churches. There, the Catholicos delivered a compelling speech highlighting key issues affecting the Armenian people that have been overlooked at the state level. These included Azerbaijan's military crimes in Artsakh, Turkey's complicity, the Armenian Genocide, the forced displacement of Armenians from Artsakh, the issue of prisoners of war, and the destruction of Christian spiritual and cultural heritage under Azerbaijani control in Artsakh.

According to Ghazaryan, it is evident that President Aliyev cannot remain indifferent to the fact that the Armenian spiritual leader and the church, which unite Armenians worldwide and serve as a unique pan-Armenian institution, are fulfilling a mission of national preservation and strengthening ties between the Diaspora and Armenia. Ghazaryan asserted that this is the reason behind Pashinyan's attacks on the Catholicos and Armenian spiritual leaders.

Several days ago, Pashazadeh also declared that "the Armenian Church is a threat to all neighboring countries of Armenia."