Show Notes

This Week in Review covers three major threads, the risk of escalation around Iran and what it means for Armenia’s regional posture, the growing set of legal and political moves shaping Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections, and the continuing confrontation between Nikol Pashinyan’s government and the Armenian Church, including actions affecting Catholicos Karekin II and senior clergy.

Main Topics Addressed

Iran war fears, the state of US-Iran talks, and Israeli pressure for maximal demands
Armenia-Iran ties, senior Armenian visits to Tehran, and how TRIPP affects trust
June 7 parliamentary elections, rule changes, and claims of an uneven playing field
Opposition landscape and how major blocs are forming ahead of June 7
Escalating clash between the government and the Armenian Church

Key Questions Discussed

How likely is a near-term war on Iran, and what are the red lines in the talks?
Where do Trump’s instincts differ from Israel and US hardliners on Iran?
Why the recent stream of senior Armenian visits to Tehran, and what is Iran watching for?
How has TRIPP changed Iran-Armenia trust and risk perceptions?
What does the current opposition lineup suggest about June 7 scenarios?
Is the Church conflict targeted at Karekin II, or aimed at the institution itself?
Who benefits from a weakened or divided Armenian Church?

Referenced Articles & Sources

Wrap-up

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.

Dziunik Aghajanian

Ms. Dziunik Aghajanian has served Armenia through the ranks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and most recently as a diplomat, as Armenia’s Ambassador to such countries as the Netherlands, Malaysia, and Indonesia. She received her education at Yerevan State University, Columbia University in NY, and Uppsala University in Sweden.

Asbed Bedrossian

Asbed Bedrossian is an IT professional, and for years oversaw the central IT enterprise infrastructure and services at USC. His decades of experience spanned across IT strategy, enterprise architecture, infrastructure, cybersecurity, enterprise applications, data center operations, high performance computing, ITSM, ITPM, and more.

Asbed founded the Armenian News Network Groong circa 1989/1990, and co-founded the ANN/Groong podcast in 2020.

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.

Dziunik Aghajanian - Iran War Fears, June Vote Rules, State-Church Clash | Ep 519, Feb 22, 2026 [EP519]

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