Armenia Domestic Politics

Asbed and Hovik examine escalating US-Iran war tensions following the June ceasefire collapse, Konstantin Sokolov’s appointment to lead TRIPP+ while acquiring Armenia’s Teghut mine, and Pashinyan’s political vulnerabilities including charges against Archbishop Galstanyan and prolonged Armenian POW detention. Anthony Barsamian discusses Armenian Diaspora advocacy, U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the role of Armenia’s government in genocide recognition efforts, the suspension of Israeli recognition, the Armenian Church’s place in Armenian life, and Armenia’s geopolitical positioning between East and West.

We discuss NATO’s 36th summit in Ankara, escalating Iran war developments, examining NATO’s defense spending surge, Trump’s shift on Turkey and F-35 access, Ukraine aid commitments, and what these geopolitical shifts mean for Armenia and the South Caucasus amid ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations.