Armenia has been engulfed in a political crisis since April, when Serzh Sargsyan, who previously served as president for two terms, was appointed prime minister. Sargsyan's appointment, viewed as his attempt to stay in office, led to large-scale anti-government protests, which resulted in his resignation. The Armenian parliament is currently addressing the issue of a new prime minister's election and considers the candidacy of Armenian protest leader Nikol Pashinyan.
"We should take a decision and use in a timely manner the opportunity to liberate our territories. As it is expected that there will be a civil war in Armenia in the near future. We should monitor the situation attentively," Hasanguliyev was quoted as saying by the Azeri-Press Agency (APA).
The lawmaker has also suggested that a special meeting of the country's parliament should be held in order to discuss the developments in neighboring Armenia.
READ MORE: No Results From Karabakh Talks, Tensions Growing — Azerbaijan Defense Minister
Earlier in the day, the Defense Ministry of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic said that since April 30 the Azerbaijani forces had been increasing their presence on the contact line. The ministry added that the units of the Karabakh armed forces monitored the developments and maintained complete control of the situation.
The warring sides agreed to a cessation of hostilities in 1994. The violence escalated again in 2016, leading to multiple casualties on both sides. The sides soon reached a ceasefire but clashes continued.