Armenia to remove image of Ararat from border crossing stamps

Starting November 1, 2025, the image of Mount Ararat will be removed from Armenian state border crossing stamps, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Instead, the stamps will retain the inscriptions "Armenia" in Armenian and English, the name of the checkpoint, the date of the border crossing, as well as symbols indicating the type of checkpoint—air, rail, or road.

Mount Ararat is considered a national symbol of Armenia and is depicted on its coat of arms, but is located on the territory of Turkey following the Treaty of Moscow in 1921, as part of the Surmalu uezd of the Erivan Governorate, which was previously part of the Russian Empire.

The changes are being considered amidst steps to normalize relations between Yerevan and Ankara—Armenia and Turkey continue to have complex diplomatic relations. The countries have had disagreements over the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in Karabakh and the recognition of the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

The Turkish-Armenian border has been closed since 1993, but since 2022, air travel between the two countries has been restored, and special representatives are holding talks to expand cooperation.