Markedonov analyzes Israel’s Armenian Genocide recognition as geopolitical calculation rather than moral awakening, explaining why Pashinyan rejected it as weaponization.
Ambassador Aghajanian argues that Israel’s cabinet vote to recognize the Armenian Genocide is not a moral act but a geopolitical pressure tool against Turkey regarding participation in planned military operations against Iran.
Ambassador Aghajanian argues that Pashinyan’s response to Israeli Armenian Genocide recognition, warning against weaponization, echoes Turkish denialist narratives and represents a fundamental betrayal of Armenian historical truth.
Hovik argues Israel’s Armenian Genocide recognition is a geopolitical move against Turkey, not a moral awakening, rooted in the Iran-US Memorandum and Trump’s regional realignment.
Asbed critiques Pashinyan’s silence on Israel’s cabinet recognition of the Armenian Genocide, arguing it hands Turkey new tools for denial.
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Rubio’s sudden Armenia visit
- Polls diverge before election
- Hidden vote raises questions
- TRIPP remains deeply polarizing
- “Western Azerbaijan” pressure grows
- Opposition faces arrests, threats
- “Why are you alive?” campaign rhetoric
Episode 550 | Recorded: May 25, 2026
#ArmeniaElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #WesternAzerbaijan #ArmenianOpposition
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Rubio’s sudden Armenia visit
- Polls diverge before election
- Hidden vote raises questions
- TRIPP remains deeply polarizing
- “Western Azerbaijan” pressure grows
- Opposition faces arrests, threats
- “Why are you alive?” campaign rhetoric
Episode 550 | Recorded: May 25, 2026
#ArmeniaElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #WesternAzerbaijan #ArmenianOpposition
This Week in Review examines the tightening political climate in Armenia ahead of the June 2026 parliamentary elections. Asbed and Hovik discuss Marco Rubio’s sudden Armenia visit, new polling from IRI, MPG, and CAEAC, and what the wide gaps in voter disclosure may reveal about hidden opposition support. The episode also covers TRIPP, “Western Azerbaijan” rhetoric, public trust in the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the growing use of arrests, threats, and state pressure against opposition figures. The discussion centers on Pashinyan’s escalating campaign rhetoric, including his “Why are you alive?” outburst, and what it signals about the stakes of the coming election.
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Iran War
- Mustafayev in Armenia
- Destruction of the Stepanakert cathedral by Azerbaijan
- Election politics
Episode 539 | Recorded: May 3, 2026
#Armenia #Azerbaijan #IranWar #TRIPP #Artsakh #Stepanakert #ArmenianElections #Groong
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Iran War
- Mustafayev in Armenia
- Destruction of the Stepanakert cathedral by Azerbaijan
- Election politics
Episode 539 | Recorded: May 3, 2026
#Armenia #Azerbaijan #IranWar #TRIPP #Artsakh #Stepanakert #ArmenianElections #Groong
This Groong Week in Review covers Trump’s Iran ceasefire, failed US-Iran talks in Islamabad, the naval blockade, and Washington’s war politics. Asbed and Hovik also examine “Operation Kochari,” Shahin Mustafayev’s secret visit to Armenia, TRIPP, border demarcation, Armenia-Azerbaijan trade, Azerbaijan’s destruction of the Stepanakert cathedral, Pashinyan’s response, the MPG poll, opposition coalition math, election fraud risks, the EPC meeting, legal pressure, mass surveillance, and Armenia’s falling press freedom ranking.
We examine how the Iran war fallout and the extension of the ceasefire are reshaping Armenia’s geopolitical position. We break down the push for the TRIPP or Zangezur Corridor and the claims of Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization, and assess how they tie to regional power dynamics involving Iran, Russia, Turkey, and the United States. The episode also covers Armenia’s 2026 elections and rising elite tensions. In addition, we discuss the global commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, contrasting international messaging with domestic narratives and linking it to ongoing debates around Artsakh and historical continuity.
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Iran War and TRIPP
- Armenian Genocide commemoration
- Peace narrative vs corridor reality
- Parliamentary election
Episode 536 | Recorded: April 27, 2026
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Iran War and TRIPP
- Armenian Genocide commemoration
- Peace narrative vs corridor reality
- Parliamentary election
Episode 536 | Recorded: April 27, 2026
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- IODA’s mission and election observation work
- Armenia’s June 2026 parliamentary election risks
- Questions around international observer impartiality
- Suspect voter lists, fraud, and transparency concerns
- Pressure on opposition figures and parties
Episode 535 | Recorded: April 24, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #Election2026 #IODA #OSCE #ODIHR #Geopolitics #Democracy
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- IODA’s mission and election observation work
- Armenia’s June 2026 parliamentary election risks
- Questions around international observer impartiality
- Suspect voter lists, fraud, and transparency concerns
- Pressure on opposition figures and parties
Episode 535 | Recorded: April 24, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #Election2026 #IODA #OSCE #ODIHR #Geopolitics #Democracy
Dr. Philippe Raffi Kalfayan joined Groong to discuss the International Observatory for Democracy in Armenia (IODA), its work ahead of Armenia’s June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections, and the risks it sees in the pre-election environment. The conversation covered IODA’s mission, its first fact-finding trip to Armenia, concerns about judicial control and administrative resources, questions about OSCE/ODIHR and EU impartiality, and the pressure facing opposition figures and parties before election day.
Groong Links:
Guest:
- Anna Karapetyan
Director of the Insight Analytical Center for Applied Policy and Research.
Topics:
- Iran war escalation and spillover
- Pashinyanâs Fake âpeaceâ narrative
- Elections built on fear-mongering
- Silencing talk of Artsakh
Episode 528 | Recorded: March 30, 2026
Groong Links:
Guest:
- Anna Karapetyan
Director of the Insight Analytical Center for Applied Policy and Research.
Topics:
- Iran war escalation and spillover
- Pashinyanâs Fake âpeaceâ narrative
- Elections built on fear-mongering
- Silencing talk of Artsakh
Episode 528 | Recorded: March 30, 2026
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Iran War
- Effect on Armenia
- June Parliamentary Elections
Episode 522 | Recorded: March 16, 2026
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Iran War
- Effect on Armenia
- June Parliamentary Elections
Episode 522 | Recorded: March 16, 2026
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Vance visit, protocol and optics
- Tsitsernakaberd tweet, âautocorrect diplomacyâ
- TRIPP corridor stake and sovereignty risks
- Nuclear SMR deal, costs and dependency
- Firebird AI project, power and value
- Drones, church silence, Baku charter and prisoners
Episode 517 | Recorded: February 13, 2026
#Groong #Armenia #JDVance #Tsitsernakaberd #TRIPP
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Vance visit, protocol and optics
- Tsitsernakaberd tweet, âautocorrect diplomacyâ
- TRIPP corridor stake and sovereignty risks
- Nuclear SMR deal, costs and dependency
- Firebird AI project, power and value
- Drones, church silence, Baku charter and prisoners
Episode 517 | Recorded: February 13, 2026
#Groong #Armenia #JDVance #Tsitsernakaberd #TRIPP
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Return of Four Hostages
- Pashinyan vs. Church
- TRIPP
- Armenia Parliamentary Election
Episode 511 | Recorded: January 28, 2026
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Return of Four Hostages
- Pashinyan vs. Church
- TRIPP
- Armenia Parliamentary Election
Episode 511 | Recorded: January 28, 2026
Groong Links:
Guest Host:
Guest:
Topics:
- Horovel, a cross-border memory project
- Ojakh, a second trip down memory lane
- Gayan, a wider regional lens
- Our Seeds, continuity across generations
Episode 509 | Recorded: January 18, 2026
Groong Links:
Guest Host:
Guest:
Topics:
- Horovel, a cross-border memory project
- Ojakh, a second trip down memory lane
- Gayan, a wider regional lens
- Our Seeds, continuity across generations
Episode 509 | Recorded: January 18, 2026
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Ukraine warâs global cost to Russia
- Iran unrest and war risk
- Remembering the Baku pogroms
- Russia-Armenia tensions and media threats
- Pashinyanâs clash with Armenian Church
Episode 505 | Recorded: January 13, 2026
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Ukraine warâs global cost to Russia
- Iran unrest and war risk
- Remembering the Baku pogroms
- Russia-Armenia tensions and media threats
- Pashinyanâs clash with Armenian Church
Episode 505 | Recorded: January 13, 2026
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Pashinyan Attacks: Geopolitics or Vendetta?
- Renegade Bishops: Demands and Narratives
- Stolen Church Property
- From Christmas to Easter
Episode 503 | Recorded: January 9, 2026
#ArmenianApostolicChurch #ArmenianChurch #Garegin #Catholicos #NikolPashinyan #ArmenianDiaspora
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Pashinyan Attacks: Geopolitics or Vendetta?
- Renegade Bishops: Demands and Narratives
- Stolen Church Property
- From Christmas to Easter
Episode 503 | Recorded: January 9, 2026
#ArmenianApostolicChurch #ArmenianChurch #Garegin #Catholicos #NikolPashinyan #ArmenianDiaspora
Groong Links:
Guest Host:
Guest:
Topics:
- Diana Mkrtchyanâs personal and artistic journey
- The origins of Ojakh in Erhan Arikâs photographic work
- Filming the final testimonies of Armenian Genocide survivors
- Ethical and technical challenges of documenting trauma
- The erasure of Ojakh from official cultural promotion in Armenia
- Cinema as historical record and moral witness
- Mkrtchyanâs Artsakh footage during the blockade
Episode 499 | Recorded: December 27, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest Host:
Guest:
Topics:
- Diana Mkrtchyanâs personal and artistic journey
- The origins of Ojakh in Erhan Arikâs photographic work
- Filming the final testimonies of Armenian Genocide survivors
- Ethical and technical challenges of documenting trauma
- The erasure of Ojakh from official cultural promotion in Armenia
- Cinema as historical record and moral witness
- Mkrtchyanâs Artsakh footage during the blockade
Episode 499 | Recorded: December 27, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia between EU and Russia
- Churchâstate confrontation in Armenia
- Artsakh concessions and return debate
- Economy, debt, and governance
- NSS raids Artsakh offices
Episode 496 | Recorded: December 15, 2025
#ArmeniaPolitics #EUvsRussia #ArmenianChurch #Artsakh #Geopolitics
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia between EU and Russia
- Churchâstate confrontation in Armenia
- Artsakh concessions and return debate
- Economy, debt, and governance
- NSS raids Artsakh offices
Episode 496 | Recorded: December 15, 2025
#ArmeniaPolitics #EUvsRussia #ArmenianChurch #Artsakh #Geopolitics
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- OSCE MG Dissolved
- Libaridian on Submitting to Turkey and Azerbaijan
- News Constitution to be Drafted by March 2026
- Archbishops, Letters, Attacks on the Church
- Border Commissions Meet in Baku
- Comments from Jacob Pursley
Episode 493 | Recorded: December 2, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- OSCE MG Dissolved
- Libaridian on Submitting to Turkey and Azerbaijan
- News Constitution to be Drafted by March 2026
- Archbishops, Letters, Attacks on the Church
- Border Commissions Meet in Baku
- Comments from Jacob Pursley
Episode 493 | Recorded: December 2, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Research journey, archives Moscow and Yerevan
- Mikoyanâs vision of confederation for the USSR
- Artsakhâs status within Soviet constraints
- De-Stalinization and Armeniaâs cultural thaw
- Mikoyanâs stance toward the Armenian Church
Episode 480 | Recorded on October 18, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Research journey, archives Moscow and Yerevan
- Mikoyanâs vision of confederation for the USSR
- Artsakhâs status within Soviet constraints
- De-Stalinization and Armeniaâs cultural thaw
- Mikoyanâs stance toward the Armenian Church
Episode 480 | Recorded on October 18, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- War in Iran, Chapter 2?
- Russiaâs Stance on TRIPP
- New MPG Poll in Armenia
- Armenian Economy in H1/2025
Episode 471 | Recorded: September 8, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- War in Iran, Chapter 2?
- Russiaâs Stance on TRIPP
- New MPG Poll in Armenia
- Armenian Economy in H1/2025
Episode 471 | Recorded: September 8, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- SCO Summit in China
- The UK in Armenia
- TRIPP / Zangezur Corridor
- Russian Azerbaijani Relations
Episode 467 | Recorded: September 1, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- SCO Summit in China
- The UK in Armenia
- TRIPP / Zangezur Corridor
- Russian Azerbaijani Relations
Episode 467 | Recorded: September 1, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Trump Ultimatum to Putin
- US Sanctions effect on Armenia
- Turkey, US, and Armeniaâs Territory
- The Kitchen Sink
Episode 457 | Recorded: August 3, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Trump Ultimatum to Putin
- US Sanctions effect on Armenia
- Turkey, US, and Armeniaâs Territory
- The Kitchen Sink
Episode 457 | Recorded: August 3, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- May 28, Republic Day
- Armeniaâs EU-Russia policy confusion
- Constitutional changes for âpeaceâ
- Impeachment vs. election dilemma
- Azeri invasion threat and silence
Episode 441 | Recorded: May 28, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- May 28, Republic Day
- Armeniaâs EU-Russia policy confusion
- Constitutional changes for âpeaceâ
- Impeachment vs. election dilemma
- Azeri invasion threat and silence
Episode 441 | Recorded: May 28, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- May 9, Victory Day and Parade
- Pashinyan, Aliyev Posture at Victory Day
- Artsrun Hovhannisyanâs Historical Revision
- Armenia and Artsakh Contributions to WW2
Episode 436 | Recorded: May 15, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- May 9, Victory Day and Parade
- Pashinyan, Aliyev Posture at Victory Day
- Artsrun Hovhannisyanâs Historical Revision
- Armenia and Artsakh Contributions to WW2
Episode 436 | Recorded: May 15, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- May 9 Victory Parade
- Ukraine
- India and Pakistan
- Armenian Azerbaijani Talks
- American Pope
Episode 435 | Recorded: May 12, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- May 9 Victory Parade
- Ukraine
- India and Pakistan
- Armenian Azerbaijani Talks
- American Pope
Episode 435 | Recorded: May 12, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Genocide Recognition and State Silence
- Iran-Azerbaijan Talks & Geopolitical Shifts
- Bandar Abbas: Explosion, or Warning?
Episode 432 | Recorded: April 29, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Genocide Recognition and State Silence
- Iran-Azerbaijan Talks & Geopolitical Shifts
- Bandar Abbas: Explosion, or Warning?
Episode 432 | Recorded: April 29, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Vaticanâs alliance with Azerbaijan
- Whitewashing of Artsakhâs ethnic cleansing
- Global silence on Armenian Genocide
- U.S. policy under Trump and risks to Armenia
Episode 431 | Recorded: April 29, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Vaticanâs alliance with Azerbaijan
- Whitewashing of Artsakhâs ethnic cleansing
- Global silence on Armenian Genocide
- U.S. policy under Trump and risks to Armenia
Episode 431 | Recorded: April 29, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Vatican Hosts Fake Azeri Conference
- Azerbaijani Propaganda and Cultural Misappropriation
- Weakness and Silent Complicity of the Armenian State
Episode 430 | Recorded: April 26, 2025
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Vatican Hosts Fake Azeri Conference
- Azerbaijani Propaganda and Cultural Misappropriation
- Weakness and Silent Complicity of the Armenian State
Episode 430 | Recorded: April 26, 2025
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
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
Groong Links:
Guest:
- Anna Karapetyan
Director of the Insight Analytical Center for Applied Policy and Research.
Topics:
- Iran-Armenia Military Exercises
- Armenian Villages Terrorized by Azerbaijan
- Mirzoyan in Antalya
- Armeniaâs Genocide Denial
Episode 428 | Recorded: April 14, 2025