Armenian Church

Last updated: May 29, 2026

The Armenian Apostolic Church — sometimes referred to in Western sources as the Armenian Orthodox Church, though the Church itself uses the Apostolic designation — was founded in 301 AD when Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion, making it among the world’s oldest Christian institutions. Its spiritual center is the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin , and it is led by the Catholicos of All Armenians, currently Garegin II .

Groong has covered the Armenian Church across more than 80 episodes, from its theological and cultural role in Armenian identity to its increasingly contested political position. Coverage includes the church’s response to the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war, the emergence of tensions between the Catholicosate and the Pashinyan government, and the dramatic events of 2025 in which multiple senior archbishops were arrested.

A central theme in recent coverage is the Pashinyan government’s effort to weaken the Armenian Apostolic Church under the framing of institutional reform. Critics argue that the government has used legislative and legal mechanisms to reduce the church’s influence in Armenian public life — stripping its exemptions, challenging its land holdings, and targeting clergy through the court system — in what many observers describe as a politically motivated campaign to neutralize a powerful institution that has historically commanded broad public trust.

The arrests of multiple senior clergy in 2025 form the sharpest edge of this confrontation. Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan led a mass opposition movement before his arrest in June. Archbishops Mikayel Ajapahyan and Arshak Khachatryan and Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan were also arrested later that year. These events have made the church-state relationship one of the most closely watched dimensions of Armenian domestic politics heading into the 2026 parliamentary elections.

Groong episodes that include this tag

Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Armenian Church.

Trump's Midterm Defeat, Pashinyan's Crackdown, and Armenia's Constitutional Battle | Ep 601, Nov 8, 2026 [EP601]

Posted on Monday, Nov 9, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Democrats Sweep US Midterm Elections
  • Trump’s Foreign Policy Faces New Challenges
  • Israel’s Post-Election Political Uncertainty
  • Armenian Opposition Unites Amid Crackdown
  • Armenia’s EU, CSTO, and EAEU Dilemma
  • Constitutional Court Leadership Controversy
  • Political Prisoners and Aslanyan’s Acquittal

Episode 601 | Recorded: November 8, 2026

#Armenia #USMidterms2026 #Trump #Pashinyan #ArmenianOpposition #Russia #ConstitutionalCourt #PoliticalPrisoners

Dziunik Aghajanian – US Midterms and Armenia’s Constitutional Standoff | Ep 600, Nov 7, 2026 [EP600]

Posted on Sunday, Nov 8, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • US Midterms and Iran War Risks
  • Congressional Influence on TRIPP
  • Iran’s Red Lines and Armenia’s Choices
  • Constitutional Referendum and Voter Residency Restrictions
  • Opposition Consolidation and Joint Action
  • Political Pressure and Coalition Durability

Episode 600 | Recorded: November 6, 2026

#Armenia #DziunikAghajanian #USMidterms #Iran #TRIPP #ArmenianConstitution #OppositionUnity #VotingRights

Dziunik Aghajanian – US Midterms and Armenia’s Constitutional Standoff | Ep 600, Nov 7, 2026 [EP600]

Posted on Sunday, Nov 8, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • US Midterms and Iran War Risks
  • Congressional Influence on TRIPP
  • Iran’s Red Lines and Armenia’s Choices
  • Constitutional Referendum and Voter Residency Restrictions
  • Opposition Consolidation and Joint Action
  • Political Pressure and Coalition Durability

Episode 600 | Recorded: November 6, 2026

#Armenia #DziunikAghajanian #USMidterms #Iran #TRIPP #ArmenianConstitution #OppositionUnity #VotingRights

Transcript: Dziunik Aghajanian – US Midterms and Armenia’s Constitutional Standoff | Ep 600, Nov 7, 2026 [EP600]

Posted on Sunday, Nov 8, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dziunik Aghajanian about the 2026 US midterm elections, Iran’s red lines, and Armenia’s constitutional crisis. We discuss how Democratic gains in Congress may affect TRIPP, Iran’s opposition to transit corridors near its borders, Pashinyan’s push for a new constitution without sufficient parliamentary support, and the opposition’s consolidation against what they view as an Azerbaijani-imposed constitutional framework.

Regional Fault Lines, Domestic Confrontation | Ep 599, Nov 1, 2026 [EP599]

Posted on Monday, Nov 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Iran War Risks and Yemen
  • Municipal Elections Under Pressure
  • Parliamentary Brawl and Political Provocation
  • TRIPP and Constitutional Changes
  • Strains Between Azerbaijan and Turkey
  • Armenian Prisoners and Political Will
  • State Interference in the Church

Episode 599 | Recorded: November 1, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #ArmenianPolitics #TRIPP #TurkeyAzerbaijan #ArmenianPrisoners #ArmenianChurch

Regional Fault Lines, Domestic Confrontation | Ep 599, Nov 1, 2026 [EP599]

Posted on Monday, Nov 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Topics:

  • Iran War Risks and Yemen
  • Municipal Elections Under Pressure
  • Parliamentary Brawl and Political Provocation
  • TRIPP and Constitutional Changes
  • Strains Between Azerbaijan and Turkey
  • Armenian Prisoners and Political Will
  • State Interference in the Church

Episode 599 | Recorded: November 1, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #ArmenianPolitics #TRIPP #TurkeyAzerbaijan #ArmenianPrisoners #ArmenianChurch

Transcript: Regional Fault Lines, Domestic Confrontation | Ep 599, Nov 1, 2026 [EP599]

Posted on Monday, Nov 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Groong Week in Review for November 1, 2026, we examine regional escalation risks and domestic political turmoil in Armenia. We discuss renewed Iran War threats alongside the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process stalemate, municipal elections under government pressure, parliamentary violence endorsed by leadership, TRIPP and constitutional changes, widening strains between Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenian Prisoners of War dossiers, and state interference in the Armenian Church—exposing a government prioritizing domestic confrontation over serious preparation for regional conflict.

Aram Hamparian - Don't Get an F in Armenian Affairs! ANCA's 2026 Report Cards | Ep 598, Oct 28, 2026 [EP598]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, United States, Diaspora, Elections | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • ANCA’s 2026 Congressional Report Cards
  • The 12 Congressional F Grades
  • Abe Hamadeh, TRIPP, and Armenian Interests
  • Azerbaijani Influence on Capitol Hill
  • Armenian-American Allies in Congress
  • Key Races in the 2026 Midterms

Episode 598 | Recorded: October 27, 2026

#ANCA #ArmenianAmerican #USMidterms2026 #Congress #ArmenianAffairs #ArmenianAdvocacy #AzerbaijanLobby

Aram Hamparian - Don't Get an F in Armenian Affairs! ANCA's 2026 Report Cards | Ep 598, Oct 28, 2026 [EP598]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, United States, Diaspora, Elections

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • ANCA’s 2026 Congressional Report Cards
  • The 12 Congressional F Grades
  • Abe Hamadeh, TRIPP, and Armenian Interests
  • Azerbaijani Influence on Capitol Hill
  • Armenian-American Allies in Congress
  • Key Races in the 2026 Midterms

Episode 598 | Recorded: October 27, 2026

#ANCA #ArmenianAmerican #USMidterms2026 #Congress #ArmenianAffairs #ArmenianAdvocacy #AzerbaijanLobby

Graded F: South Carolina Republican Joe Wilson (R-02) [EP598]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2026 | Category: USA, Azerbaijan, Human Rights

Hamparian on Joe Wilson’s F: a professed defender of persecuted Christians who acts as a mouthpiece for Azerbaijan.

Transcript: Aram Hamparian - Don't Get an F in Armenian Affairs! ANCA's 2026 Report Cards | Ep 598, Oct 28, 2026 [EP598]

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, United States, Diaspora, Elections, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA, about the 2026 US midterm elections and Armenian-American advocacy on Capitol Hill. We discuss the Armenian National Committee’s congressional report cards, the twelve lawmakers receiving F grades for their positions on Armenian interests, and how Azerbaijani influence shapes votes in Congress. Hamparian breaks down key races and the stakes for Armenian diaspora engagement in American politics.

Armenia on Fire Sale: Land Swaps, COP17, POWs, and the War for Gyumri | Ep 595, Oct 18, 2026 [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Pashinyan’s territorial swap proposal with Azerbaijan
  • COP17 controversies and environmental double standards
  • UN inaction on Armenian POWs
  • Inadequate housing aid for Artsakh refugees
  • Municipal elections and alleged government pressure
  • Gyumri’s growing role as an opposition stronghold

Episode 595 | Recorded: October 21, 2026

#Armenia #Azerbaijan #Pashinyan #TerritorialSwap #COP17 #ArmenianPOWs #ArtsakhRefugees #Gyumri

Armenia on Fire Sale: Land Swaps, COP17, POWs, and the War for Gyumri | Ep 595, Oct 18, 2026 [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Topics:

  • Pashinyan’s territorial swap proposal with Azerbaijan
  • COP17 controversies and environmental double standards
  • UN inaction on Armenian POWs
  • Inadequate housing aid for Artsakh refugees
  • Municipal elections and alleged government pressure
  • Gyumri’s growing role as an opposition stronghold

Episode 595 | Recorded: October 21, 2026

#Armenia #Azerbaijan #Pashinyan #TerritorialSwap #COP17 #ArmenianPOWs #ArtsakhRefugees #Gyumri

Transcript: Armenia on Fire Sale: Land Swaps, COP17, POWs, and the War for Gyumri | Ep 595, Oct 18, 2026 [EP595]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed break down Pashinyan’s territorial swap proposal with Azerbaijan, examining the strategic implications for Armenia’s 29,743 square kilometers and the security of border communities. We discuss the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process, contradictions between government officials on formal negotiations, inadequate housing aid for Artsakh refugees displaced during the ethnic cleansing, UN inaction on Armenian Prisoners of War, and Gyumri’s emergence as an opposition stronghold ahead of municipal elections.

Why They Want to Erase Armenian Memory [EP594]

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Category: Diaspora, Armenian Genocide, Culture

Martirosyan argues active memory keeps Armenians Armenian, and that erasing it serves Turkish and Azerbaijani demands.

Groong Podcast Digest — Week of September 28–4, 2026

Posted on Sunday, Oct 4, 2026 | Category: Digest, Podcast Digest

Hovik and Asbed mark the sixth anniversary of the 44-Day War while examining Armenia’s deepening crisis over historical memory, escalating tensions between the state and the Armenian Church, international concern over election integrity, and Armenia’s isolated position as Azerbaijan demolishes Artsakh’s Armenian cultural heritage. Harut Sassounian examines Armenia’s identity crisis amid escalating conflict between Pashinyan’s government and the Armenian Apostolic Church, discussing Catholicos Garegin II’s statements at the May 2025 World Council of Churches  Read More

Harut Sassounian - Armenia’s Identity Crisis: Church, State, and Diaspora | Ep 592, Oct 2, 2026 [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Church-State conflict and Garegin II
  • Bern, Artsakh, and national identity
  • Government plans to “reform” Church
  • Pashinyan’s meeting with All-ASA
  • Armenia-Diaspora relations after June 7

Episode 592 | Recorded: September 30, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #NikolPashinyan #Artsakh #ArmenianDiaspora #ChurchState #ArmenianIdentity

Harut Sassounian - Armenia’s Identity Crisis: Church, State, and Diaspora | Ep 592, Oct 2, 2026 [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Church-State conflict and Garegin II
  • Bern, Artsakh, and national identity
  • Government plans to “reform” Church
  • Pashinyan’s meeting with All-ASA
  • Armenia-Diaspora relations after June 7

Episode 592 | Recorded: September 30, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #NikolPashinyan #Artsakh #ArmenianDiaspora #ChurchState #ArmenianIdentity

The Head of the First Christian Nation Is Suing the Catholicos [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Armenian Church, Politics, Armenia

Sassounian calls it shameful that the head of the first Christian nation is taking the Catholicos to court, with prison a possible outcome.

Transcript: Harut Sassounian - Armenia’s Identity Crisis: Church, State, and Diaspora | Ep 592, Oct 2, 2026 [EP592]

Posted on Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Harut Sassounian about Armenia’s identity crisis amid escalating conflict between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church. We discuss Catholicos Garegin II’s statements at the May 2025 World Council of Churches conference in Bern, Pashinyan’s public attacks on senior clergy, the constitutional role of the Armenian Church in national identity, and the deeper geopolitical questions surrounding Armenia-Diaspora relations following the June 2026 Armenian parliamentary elections.

A Government Report to Remove the Catholicos [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenian Church, Politics, Armenia

The Prime Minister’s office published a 74 page report describing a Church crisis and laying out a roadmap to remove the Catholicos.

From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • September 27 war anniversary and memory
  • Pashinyan escalates campaign against Church
  • PACE raises concerns over elections
  • Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan at UNGA
  • Witkoff reveals Turkish regional advisers
  • Opposition faces post-election divisions
  • Arrests and prosecutions over speech
  • France and Azerbaijan move toward normalization

Episode 591 | Recorded: September 27, 2026

From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Topics:

  • September 27 war anniversary and memory
  • Pashinyan escalates campaign against Church
  • PACE raises concerns over elections
  • Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan at UNGA
  • Witkoff reveals Turkish regional advisers
  • Opposition faces post-election divisions
  • Arrests and prosecutions over speech
  • France and Azerbaijan move toward normalization

Episode 591 | Recorded: September 27, 2026

Transcript: From Yerablur to Etchmiadzin: Armenia’s Battle Over Memory | Ep 591, Sep 27, 2026 [EP591]

Posted on Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed mark the sixth anniversary of the 44-Day War and examine Armenia’s deepening crisis over historical memory and national identity. We discuss the Armenian government’s controversial response to September 27 commemorations, escalating tension between the state and the Armenian Church, international concern over election integrity, and Armenia’s isolated position as Azerbaijan demolishes Artsakh’s Armenian cultural heritage while Turkey advances regional integration plans.

Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Russian parliamentary election outcome
  • Middle East escalation and the Houthis
  • Armenia-Russia confrontation, including the 102nd base
  • Asset confiscation, anti-corruption, and Russian interests
  • Azerbaijan-Armenia “durable peace” tensions
  • Armenian opposition strategy

Episode 590 | Recorded: September 23, 2026

#Armenia #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #MiddleEast #UkraineWar #ArmenianPolitics #Geopolitics

Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Russian parliamentary election outcome
  • Middle East escalation and the Houthis
  • Armenia-Russia confrontation, including the 102nd base
  • Asset confiscation, anti-corruption, and Russian interests
  • Azerbaijan-Armenia “durable peace” tensions
  • Armenian opposition strategy

Episode 590 | Recorded: September 23, 2026

#Armenia #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #MiddleEast #UkraineWar #ArmenianPolitics #Geopolitics

Transcript: Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026 [EP590]

Posted on Friday, Sep 25, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dziunik Aghajanian about shifting geopolitical pressures on Armenia following Russia’s September 2026 parliamentary elections. We discuss Putin’s strengthened domestic position, the Armenia-Russia confrontation over the 102nd base, asset confiscation and anti-corruption efforts targeting Russian interests, and how Middle East escalation and the Iran War reshape Armenia’s strategic environment amid ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process tensions.

Arthur Khachatryan - Opposition Strategy, TRIPP, and the Russian Base | Ep 589, Sep 23, 2026 [EP589]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Reflections on Independence Day
  • Post-election opposition strategy
  • Tigranashen and other territorial concessions
  • Azerbaijani attacks on Armenian heritage
  • Azerbaijani control over TRIPP access
  • Future of Russia’s 102nd base
  • Asset confiscation and Russia tensions
  • Attacks and threats against the ARF

Episode 589 | Recorded: September 22, 2026

#Armenia #ArthurKhachatryan #ArmeniaAlliance #TRIPP #Tigranashen #Artsakh #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

 Read More

Arthur Khachatryan - Opposition Strategy, TRIPP, and the Russian Base | Ep 589, Sep 23, 2026 [EP589]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Reflections on Independence Day
  • Post-election opposition strategy
  • Tigranashen and other territorial concessions
  • Azerbaijani attacks on Armenian heritage
  • Azerbaijani control over TRIPP access
  • Future of Russia’s 102nd base
  • Asset confiscation and Russia tensions
  • Attacks and threats against the ARF

Episode 589 | Recorded: September 22, 2026

#Armenia #ArthurKhachatryan #ArmeniaAlliance #TRIPP #Tigranashen #Artsakh #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

 Read More

Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Armenia marks 35 years independent
  • Artsakh remembered three years later
  • Armenian POWs remain in Baku
  • Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia
  • Turkey-Azerbaijan deepen strategic coordination
  • Citizenship costs rise sharply
  • Government opacity over war casualties

Episode 588 | Recorded: September 22, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #ArmenianPOWs #Azerbaijan #Turkey #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Topics:

  • Armenia marks 35 years independent
  • Artsakh remembered three years later
  • Armenian POWs remain in Baku
  • Ukraine strikes deep inside Russia
  • Turkey-Azerbaijan deepen strategic coordination
  • Citizenship costs rise sharply
  • Government opacity over war casualties

Episode 588 | Recorded: September 22, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #ArmenianPOWs #Azerbaijan #Turkey #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

Transcript: Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026 [EP588]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong podcast episode, Hovik and Asbed reflect on Armenia’s 35th independence anniversary amid ongoing regional tensions and unresolved conflicts. We discuss the state of Armenian statehood three years after the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, Armenian prisoners of war still held in Baku, rising citizenship costs, government opacity over war casualties, and deepening Turkey-Azerbaijan strategic coordination.

Transcript: Arthur Khachatryan - Opposition Strategy, TRIPP, and the Russian Base | Ep 589, Sep 23, 2026 [EP589]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026 | Category: Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Arthur Khachatryan, MP from Armenia Alliance, about opposition strategy following the June 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election. We discuss the Established Opposition’s plans to counter Pashinyan’s agenda, territorial concessions including Tigranashen, Azerbaijani attacks on Armenian heritage, the role of TRIPP and Azerbaijan’s control over transit corridors, the future of Russia’s 102nd military base, and escalating threats against opposition parties.

Azerbaijan Mocks Armenian Manuscript With Blank Pages [EP585]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | Category: Artsakh, Culture, Azerbaijan

At Gandzasar, an Azerbaijani official held up a blank-paged replica of an Armenian manuscript and called it empty, as European diplomats smiled.

Gandzasar Erasure, Chips for Territory, Russian Money & Pashinyan in Space | Ep 585, Sep 13, 2026 [EP585]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • 2022 border war and its legacy
  • Hajiyev spouts hate, EU reps giggle
  • Armenia’s muted response to Azerbaijan
  • TRIPP, NVIDIA chips, and sovereignty
  • Pashinyan’s Paris space summit visit
  • Russian money flows through Armenia
  • Russia-Iran coordination in South Caucasus
  • Political prosecutions and Grigoryan reshuffle

Episode 585 | Recorded: September 14, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #Gandzasar #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #Russia #Iran

Gandzasar Erasure, Chips for Territory, Russian Money & Pashinyan in Space | Ep 585, Sep 13, 2026 [EP585]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Topics:

  • 2022 border war and its legacy
  • Hajiyev spouts hate, EU reps giggle
  • Armenia’s muted response to Azerbaijan
  • TRIPP, NVIDIA chips, and sovereignty
  • Pashinyan’s Paris space summit visit
  • Russian money flows through Armenia
  • Russia-Iran coordination in South Caucasus
  • Political prosecutions and Grigoryan reshuffle

Episode 585 | Recorded: September 14, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #Gandzasar #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Azerbaijan #Russia #Iran

Transcript: Gandzasar Erasure, Chips for Territory, Russian Money & Pashinyan in Space | Ep 585, Sep 13, 2026 [EP585]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this Groong Week in Review episode, Hovik and Asbed examine the fourth anniversary of the September 2022 border war, Azerbaijan’s ongoing occupation of Armenian territory, and Pashinyan’s political trajectory toward recognizing Artsakh’s loss. We discuss Hajiyev’s inflammatory rhetoric, Armenia’s muted diplomatic response, TRIPP and semiconductor sovereignty, Pashinyan’s attendance at a Paris space summit, Russian financial flows through Armenia, and Russia-Iran coordination in the South Caucasus.

Artsakh Remembered, SCO Theater, Russian Signals, and the Cucumber Paradox | Ep 584, Sep 6, 2026 [EP584]

Posted on Monday, Sep 7, 2026 | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Artsakh remembered, its cause unresolved
  • Putin puts Russia’s military base on the table
  • Church prosecutions begin to unravel
  • EU trade headlines look better than the deal
  • Army indiscipline fuels mounting non-combat deaths
  • New political pressures before local elections

Episode 584 | Recorded: Sep 6, 2026

#Artsakh #Armenia #NagornoKarabakh #SouthCaucasus #SCO #Russia #EuropeanUnion #ArmenianPolitics

Artsakh Remembered, SCO Theater, Russian Signals, and the Cucumber Paradox | Ep 584, Sep 6, 2026 [EP584]

Posted on Monday, Sep 7, 2026

Topics:

  • Artsakh remembered, its cause unresolved
  • Putin puts Russia’s military base on the table
  • Church prosecutions begin to unravel
  • EU trade headlines look better than the deal
  • Army indiscipline fuels mounting non-combat deaths
  • New political pressures before local elections

Episode 584 | Recorded: Sep 6, 2026

#Artsakh #Armenia #NagornoKarabakh #SouthCaucasus #SCO #Russia #EuropeanUnion #ArmenianPolitics

Transcript: Artsakh Remembered, SCO Theater, Russian Signals, and the Cucumber Paradox | Ep 584, Sep 6, 2026 [EP584]

Posted on Monday, Sep 7, 2026 | Category: Transcript

In this week’s Groong episode, Hovik and Asbed review September 2026 developments across Armenia and the South Caucasus. We examine Artsakh’s remembered independence declaration on September 2, 1991, and its unresolved cause following the 2023 ethnic cleansing; Putin’s signaling on Russia’s military base presence; ongoing Armenian Church prosecutions; EU trade negotiations; mounting non-combat military deaths; and political pressures ahead of local elections. We also analyze U.S. envoy Witkoff and Kushner’s diplomatic shuttle through Moscow and Kyiv.

Groong Podcast Digest — Week of August 24–30, 2026

Posted on Sunday, Aug 30, 2026 | Category: Digest, Podcast Digest

Ambassador Jack Matlock, the last U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union, examines whether the West missed a historic opportunity to integrate Russia into Western security architecture after the Cold War, and reflects on how Cold War-era decisions shape Armenia’s geopolitical choices today. Arthur G. Martirosyan discusses Armenia’s post-election political crisis, the arrest of opposition leaders including Robert Kocharyan, attacks on the Armenian Church, border concessions including Tigranashen, the TRIPP corridor, and how the Established Opposition is strategizing under state repression in what Pashinyan calls the Fourth Republic.

Arthur Martirosyan - The Fourth Republic and the Politics of Erasure | Ep 581, Aug 29, 2026 [EP581]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 29, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Pashinyan’s Revenge Against Opposition
  • Kocharyan Arrested, Family Under State Pressure
  • Opposition Strategy Under Repression
  • Pashinyan’s Five-Year Transformation Agenda
  • Government Assault on Armenian Church
  • Tigranashen and Border Concessions
  • TRIPP, Turan, and Central Asia

Episode 581 | Recorded: August 28, 2026

#ArmenianElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #ArmenianOpposition

Arthur Martirosyan - The Fourth Republic and the Politics of Erasure | Ep 581, Aug 29, 2026 [EP581]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 29, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Pashinyan’s Revenge Against Opposition
  • Kocharyan Arrested, Family Under State Pressure
  • Opposition Strategy Under Repression
  • Pashinyan’s Five-Year Transformation Agenda
  • Government Assault on Armenian Church
  • Tigranashen and Border Concessions
  • TRIPP, Turan, and Central Asia

Episode 581 | Recorded: August 28, 2026

#ArmenianElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #ArmenianOpposition

Why Pashinyan Attacks the Armenian Church [EP581]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 29, 2026 | Category: Politics, Armenian Church, Armenia

Pashinyan intensifies attacks on Armenian Apostolic Church after Catholicos speaks about Artsakh rights. Expert analysis reveals this targets the church’s diaspora ties and identity independence.

Transcript: Arthur Martirosyan - The Fourth Republic and the Politics of Erasure | Ep 581, Aug 29, 2026 [EP581]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 29, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Arthur G. Martirosyan about Armenia’s post-election political crisis and Pashinyan’s governance agenda. We discuss the arrest of opposition leaders including Robert Kocharyan, attacks on the Armenian Church, border concessions including Tigranashen, the TRIPP corridor, and how the Established Opposition is strategizing under state repression in the Fourth Republic.

Groong Podcast Digest — Week of August 17–23, 2026

Posted on Sunday, Aug 23, 2026 | Category: Digest, Podcast Digest

Hovik and Asbed examine Armenia’s exposure to an expanding Iran War, Russia’s December ultimatum on EAEU membership, and how TRIPP infrastructure through Syunik deepens security and energy vulnerabilities. Dziunik Aghajanian examines Armenia’s precarious position between Iran, Russia, and emerging Middle East power shifts, analyzing the Mecca joint defense pact, Iran’s objections to TRIPP, Aliyev’s militarization of Nakhijevan, Armenia’s energy dependence, Russian ultimatums, and the Established Opposition’s parliamentary strategy ahead of the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election.

Dziunik Aghajanian - Armenia Between Iran, Russia & the New Middle East Order | Ep 579, Aug 22, 2026 [EP579]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Significance of the Mecca joint defense pact
  • Iran warns Armenia over TRIPP
  • Aliyev advances plans through Syunik
  • Armenia faces growing energy dependence
  • Russia sets deadlines for Yerevan
  • Opposition tests its parliamentary strategy

Episode 579 | Recorded: August 18, 2026

#Armenia #SouthCaucasus #Mecca #TRIPP #Iran #Russia #Azerbaijan #EAEU #CSTO

Dziunik Aghajanian - Armenia Between Iran, Russia & the New Middle East Order | Ep 579, Aug 22, 2026 [EP579]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Significance of the Mecca joint defense pact
  • Iran warns Armenia over TRIPP
  • Aliyev advances plans through Syunik
  • Armenia faces growing energy dependence
  • Russia sets deadlines for Yerevan
  • Opposition tests its parliamentary strategy

Episode 579 | Recorded: August 18, 2026

#Armenia #SouthCaucasus #Mecca #TRIPP #Iran #Russia #Azerbaijan #EAEU #CSTO

Transcript: Dziunik Aghajanian - Armenia Between Iran, Russia & the New Middle East Order | Ep 579, Aug 22, 2026 [EP579]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dziunik Aghajanian about Armenia’s precarious position between Iran, Russia, and emerging Middle East power shifts. We discuss the Mecca joint defense pact signed by Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, Iran’s warnings over TRIPP, Ilham Aliyev’s militarization plans in Nakhijevan, Armenia’s growing energy dependence, Russian deadlines for Yerevan, and how the Established Opposition is testing its parliamentary strategy ahead of the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election.

Groong Podcast Digest — Week of August 10–16, 2026

Posted on Sunday, Aug 16, 2026 | Category: Digest, Podcast Digest

Asbed and Hovik examine Pashinyan’s confrontation with the Armenian Church, Armenia’s balancing act between Russia and the EU, the geopolitical implications of TRIPP, Iran’s military leadership realignment under wartime pressure, the Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pact, and how these shifts reshape Armenia’s role in the South Caucasus. Richard Campbell discusses the global AI race, data center economics, energy constraints, and Armenia’s Firebird project, examining whether current AI infrastructure investments align with physical and economic realities.

Judge Recuses Himself from Catholicos Case: Admission of Shameful Lawsuit? [EP576]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026 | Category: Politics, Human Rights, Armenian Church, Armenia

The judge in the case against Catholicos Garegin II recuses himself citing a dubious conflict of interest, likely recognizing the case’s lack of legal merit.

Pashinyan's Attack on the Armenian Church: Dragging the Catholicos to Court [EP576]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026 | Category: Armenian Church, Politics, Human Rights, Armenia

Hovik condemns Pashinyan’s legal assault on Catholicos Garegin II, calling it an affront to Armenians worldwide and comparing it to past governance failures.

Pashinyan’s Church War, the Russia-EU Choice, and TRIPP | Ep 576, Aug 9, 2026 [EP576]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Alliance
  • Iran War Update
  • Catholicos on Trial
  • EAEU Meeting in Cholpon-Ata
  • Corruption & Persecutions

Episode 576 | Recorded: August 10, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #TRIPP #ArmeniaRussia #SouthCaucasus #Groong

Pashinyan’s Church War, the Russia-EU Choice, and TRIPP | Ep 576, Aug 9, 2026 [EP576]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics

Topics:

  • Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Alliance
  • Iran War Update
  • Catholicos on Trial
  • EAEU Meeting in Cholpon-Ata
  • Corruption & Persecutions

Episode 576 | Recorded: August 10, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmenianChurch #GareginII #TRIPP #ArmeniaRussia #SouthCaucasus #Groong

Transcript: Pashinyan’s Church War, the Russia-EU Choice, and TRIPP | Ep 576, Aug 9, 2026 [EP576]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong episode, the hosts examine Pashinyan’s confrontation with the Armenian Church, Armenia’s strategic positioning between Russia and the EU, and the geopolitical implications of TRIPP. We discuss the trial of Catholicos Garegin II, Iran’s military leadership realignment, the Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pact, and how these shifts reshape Armenia’s role in the South Caucasus.

Groong Podcast Digest — Week of August 3–9, 2026

Posted on Sunday, Aug 9, 2026 | Category: Digest, Podcast Digest

Dr. Pietro Shakarian explores the parallels between Stalinist repression in Soviet Armenia and authoritarian practices under the Civil Contract regime, examining how incomplete historical reckoning leaves societies vulnerable to recognizing new forms of political control. We examine Armenia’s new parliament sworn in on August 2, 2026, the Armenia Alliance’s direct challenge to Civil Contract over Tigranashen’s territorial status, the government’s evasive responses on border red lines, Armenia’s challenge to Russia’s railway concession, and how TRIPP reshapes  Read More

Hrant Mikaelian - Armenia’s Western Pivot: Strategy or Wishful Thinking? | Ep 575, Aug 8, 2026 [EP575]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 8, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • New Armenian Parliament
  • Armenia-Russia-EAEU Relations
  • EUropean Aid for Armenia
  • Church & National Identity
  • Armenian Economy

Episode 575 | Recorded: August 4, 2026

#Armenia #Russia #EuropeanUnion #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaRussia #ArmenianChurch #SouthCaucasus #Geopolitics

Hrant Mikaelian - Armenia’s Western Pivot: Strategy or Wishful Thinking? | Ep 575, Aug 8, 2026 [EP575]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 8, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • New Armenian Parliament
  • Armenia-Russia-EAEU Relations
  • EUropean Aid for Armenia
  • Church & National Identity
  • Armenian Economy

Episode 575 | Recorded: August 4, 2026

#Armenia #Russia #EuropeanUnion #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaRussia #ArmenianChurch #SouthCaucasus #Geopolitics

Transcript: Hrant Mikaelian - Armenia’s Western Pivot: Strategy or Wishful Thinking? | Ep 575, Aug 8, 2026 [EP575]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 8, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Hrant Mikaelian about Armenia’s Western pivot and the opening of the new parliament. We discuss Ruben Rubinyan’s appointment as speaker, Armenia-Russia-EAEU relations, lessons from the 44-Day War, European aid for Armenia, the role of the Armenian Church in national identity, and Armenia’s economic direction amid geopolitical pressure.

Pietro Shakarian - Memory Under Siege: From Stalin to Pashinyan | Ep 573, Aug 3, 2026 [EP573]

Posted on Monday, Aug 3, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, History | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Erasing memory across Yerevan
  • Great Purge in Soviet Armenia
  • Khanjyan’s assassination and Beria
  • Repression of Armenia’s national institutions
  • Remembering Stalinist repression
  • Historical parallels with modern Armenia
  • Attacks on memory and Church
  • Opposition strategy after the election

Episode 573 | Recorded: July 31, 2026

#Armenia #GreatPurge #AghasiKhanjyan #PietroShakarian #Artsakh #ArmenianChurch #PoliticalRepression #MemoryUnderSiege #Authoritarianism #SovietArmenia

 Read More