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The Armenian government announced Sunday it will remove the image of Mount Ararat, also known as Mount Agri, from its border entry and exit stamps beginning November 1, 2025.
The decision, made on September 11, was disclosed by Mesrop Arakelyan, a founding partner of the "Land to Live" party, through his social media accounts on Saturday.
Under the new design, border stamps will feature the word "Armenia" in both Armenian and English, the name of the border crossing point, entry and exit dates, verification numbers, stamp numbers, and symbols indicating the type of crossing point — whether by air, rail or road.
Mount Ararat has served as Armenia's national symbol and appears prominently on the country's coat of arms. However, the mountain has been located within Turkish territory for more than a century, having been transferred to Türkiye under the 1921 Treaty of Moscow as part of the Surmalu district of the former Erivan Governorate, which had previously belonged to the Russian Empire.
The stamp redesign comes amid ongoing efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Türkiye, which have maintained strained ties for decades. The countries lack formal diplomatic relations, and their shared border has remained closed since 1993.
Tensions have persisted over Türkiye's role in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Ankara's refusal to recognize the 1915 Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire.
Despite these challenges, both nations have taken steps toward reconciliation in recent years. Direct flights between the countries resumed in 2022, and special representatives — Turkish diplomat Serdar Kilic and Armenian Deputy Parliament Speaker Ruben Rubinyan — have engaged in discussions about expanding cooperation across various sectors.
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