Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- US-Iran Talks & Israeli Threats
- Trump Administration Support for Azerbaijan
- Iran-Azerbaijan Relations & Corridor Demands
- Vatican Controversy & Global Anti-Armenian Propaganda
- Local Elections in Gyumri and Parakar
- Government-Fueled Hate Against Artsakh Refugees
Episode 429 | Recorded: April 22, 2025
Show Notes
Main Topics Addressed
US-Iran Talks & Israeli Threats:
Israel is considering limited strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, even as the U.S. and Iran resume nuclear negotiations in Rome. Russia has emerged as a potential mediator, raising questions about its growing role in regional diplomacy.Trump Administration Support for Azerbaijan:
The U.S. Export-Import Bank approved a $339M loan to Azerbaijan’s Silk Way Airlines, despite its ties to arms transport and the Aliyev regime—igniting backlash over the contradiction with U.S. human rights commitments.Iran-Azerbaijan Relations & Corridor Demands:
Iran’s President Pezeshkian will visit Baku for high-level talks, with connectivity through Nakhichevan on the agenda. Azerbaijan continues to pressure Armenia for unrestricted extraterritorial access, despite already having controlled routes via Iran.Vatican Controversy & Global Anti-Armenian Propaganda:
In the final weeks of Pope Francis’s life, the Vatican hosted a conference backed by Azerbaijan that promoted revisionist narratives erasing Armenian Christian history. Days later, Azerbaijan staged a similar exhibit in Warsaw, furthering its global disinformation campaign.Local Elections in Gyumri and Parakar:
Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party lost ground in both cities, with opposition candidates taking mayoral control. The results are seen as a rebuke of the government ahead of possible constitutional and EU-related referenda.Government-Fueled Hate Against Artsakh Refugees:
Top Armenian officials made inflammatory statements blaming Artsakh refugees for their own displacement. Civil society and media linked to the ruling party amplified the rhetoric, while the state cuts support programs—fueling accusations of a deliberate campaign of hostility.
Key Questions Discussed
- What impact would an Israeli strike on Iran have on the progress of U.S.-Iran negotiations?
- Can Russia’s mediation boost its influence in the South Caucasus, and at what cost to Armenia?
- How did Vatican institutions become platforms for Azerbaijani historical revisionism?
- Why is the U.S. financing Azerbaijan’s state-linked airline despite its role in arms trafficking?
- Do recent local election outcomes signal a broader collapse of support for Civil Contract?
- What is the Armenian government trying to achieve by inciting hatred against Artsakh refugees?
Referenced Articles & Sources
- Reuters: Israel Still Eyeing Limited Attack on Iran
- Guardian: Moscow May Gain Role in Iran Nuclear Deal
- Armenian Weekly: Donations Tilt Vatican in Favor of Azerbaijan
- IRPI Media: Vatican Helped Legitimize the Autocracy in Azerbaijan
- National Catholic Register: Azerbaijani Conference at Vatican Spurs Outrage
- Pillar Catholic: Armenian Leaders Pan Vatican-Azeri Event
- Horizon Weekly: 350 Scholars Condemn Vatican’s Complicity
- Armenian Church: Mother See Condemns Warsaw Exhibit
- OCCRP: Silk Way Airlines and Arms Transport
- CivilNet: No Business As Usual with Azerbaijan
- 168.am: Protests Over Hate Speech Against Artsakh Refugees
- Asbarez: Mirzoyan Says Armenia Won’t Defend Artsakh Rights
- Panorama.am: Artsakh Ombudsman Condemns Sukiasyan
Wrap-up
Links and Resources
That’s our show! We hope you found it useful. Please find us on Social Media and follow us everywhere you get your Armenian news.
Thanks to Laura Osborn for the music on our podcasts.
Guests
Hrant Mikaelian
Hrant Mikaelian, a political scientist and multidisciplinary researcher in social sciences based in Yerevan. He is also a senior researcher at the Caucasus Institute. Hrant is a co-founder of the Armenian Project.
Hosts
Asbed Bedrossian
Asbed is founder of the Armenian News Network Groong and co-founder of the ANN/Groong podcast.
Hovik Manucharyan
Hovik Manucharyan is an information security engineer who moved from Seattle to Armenia in 2022. He co-founded the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020 and has been a contributor to Groong News since the late 1990s.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by Hovik Manucharyan on the ANN/Groong podcast are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of his employer or any other organization.