Azerbaijan

Last updated: June 10, 2026

Azerbaijan is a South Caucasus republic with a population of approximately 10 million and a territory spanning roughly 86,600 square kilometers. The country is governed as a presidential republic under President Ilham Aliyev , who has held power since 2003. Azerbaijan’s economy is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas exports, particularly through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline and the Southern Gas Corridor, which connects Caspian energy reserves to European markets. The capital, Baku, serves as a major regional hub. Azerbaijan is a member of the United Nations, OSCE, and various regional organizations. The country’s Azerbaijani-speaking population is predominantly Muslim. Azerbaijan also includes the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, an exclave separated from mainland Azerbaijan by Armenian territory.

However, international human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have extensively documented systematic human rights abuses in Azerbaijan, including arbitrary detention, torture, suppression of political opposition, restrictions on press freedom, and limitations on civil society. Aliyev’s government maintains tight control over dissent, with opposition politicians, journalists, and activists facing harassment, imprisonment, and violence. The country ranks poorly on freedom indices, with Reporters Without Borders, Freedom House, and Transparency International consistently ranking Azerbaijan among the world’s most repressive states regarding democratic freedoms and rule of law. Prison conditions are documented as harsh, and extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances have been reported. The state monopoly on media, combined with internet censorship and restrictions on assembly, creates an environment where independent voices face significant risk. These governance practices have been particularly intensified since Aliyev’s re-election in 2018 and remain central to how the regime maintains internal control while projecting external power.

Azerbaijan is a South Caucasus republic whose military campaigns against Armenia in 2020 and 2023 have reshaped the regional balance of power. Following the 44-Day War in 2020 and the complete capture of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) in a 24-hour offensive on September 19–20, 2023, Azerbaijan controls territory that was previously under Armenian administration, ethnically cleansing the enclave of its more than 150,000 Armenian inhabitants. President Ilham Aliyev has used military victory to extract territorial and geopolitical concessions from Armenia, including commitments toward the so-called “Zangezur Corridor”—what Washington frames as TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity), a transit corridor through Armenian Syunik province that would connect Azerbaijan to Turkey via Armenian land. Aliyev has consistently framed these arrangements in pan-Turanic terms, treating them as steps toward regional integration under Turkish-Azerbaijani leadership rather than as neutral infrastructure projects. Azerbaijan’s leverage over Armenia derives not only from military superiority but from Armenia’s isolation: as Russia has grown less reliable as a security guarantor and Armenia has sought Western partnerships that remain incomplete, Baku has incrementally pressed its advantage through border incursions, blockade threats, and demands for “unblocking” that contain implicit security concessions.

Azerbaijan’s relationship with Turkey is central to its strategy and its self-conception as a regional power. The two states share language, historical narratives around pan-Turkism, and military-strategic interests in offsetting Iran and resisting Russian influence. Turkey provided air support during the 2020 war and has supplied weapons and military training throughout Azerbaijan’s buildup. However, the relationship is not symmetrical: Azerbaijan maintains its own foreign policy interests, including energy partnerships with Europe via the Southern Gas Corridor and a degree of hedging toward Russia that reflects Baku’s awareness that it cannot afford permanent enmity with Moscow. In early 2026, tensions between Azerbaijan and Iran spiked following military exercises in Nakhijevan and constitutional changes that centralized control over the exclave, raising questions about whether Baku is positioning itself as a U.S.-backed pressure point against Iran or merely consolidating internal authority. The trajectory of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, discussed in episodes examining the regional dimensions of that conflict, has direct bearing on Azerbaijan’s calculations about its northern neighbor and its room for maneuver between Washington and Moscow.

Armenia’s vulnerability has translated into Azerbaijan’s expanding room for territorial and political demands. Pashinyan has signed successive ceasefire agreements and acknowledged Armenian territorial losses while framing them as necessary trade-offs for regional peace. Yet Azerbaijan has continued to occupy positions inside internationally recognized Armenian territory, has threatened blockades over the movement of humanitarian supplies to Armenia, and has used negotiations over transit corridors as leverage to extract security concessions from Yerevan. Eldar Mamedov’s analysis of the Iran war and Azerbaijan’s role as a potential northern front, alongside Arman Grigoryan’s assessment of what he terms Armenia’s “revolutionary recklessness” in abandoning Russian security ties without securing firm Western alternatives, illustrates the degree to which Azerbaijan’s actions are embedded in a wider geopolitical struggle between Russia, the United States, Europe, Iran, and Turkey. Whether Azerbaijan consolidates its wartime gains into a permanent shift in the regional balance or whether changed circumstances in Iran, Russia, or Western policy create openings for Armenian repositioning remains among the most contested questions shaping the South Caucasus through 2026 and beyond.

Groong episodes that include this tag

Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Azerbaijan.

Armenia at the SCO Summit as Ukraine and Iran Wars Intensify | Ep 582, Aug 30, 2026 [EP582]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2026 | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Russia Escalates War Against Ukraine
  • Unprecedented Western Visits to Moscow
  • US-Iran War Flares Again
  • All Artsakh Presidents Behind Bars
  • Armenia at the SCO Summit
  • Pashinyan Meets Aliyev, Putin, Modi
  • Political Persecutions and Selective Justice

Episode 582 | Recorded: September 1, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #IranWar #SCO #Pashinyan #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

Armenia at the SCO Summit as Ukraine and Iran Wars Intensify | Ep 582, Aug 30, 2026 [EP582]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2026

Topics:

  • Russia Escalates War Against Ukraine
  • Unprecedented Western Visits to Moscow
  • US-Iran War Flares Again
  • All Artsakh Presidents Behind Bars
  • Armenia at the SCO Summit
  • Pashinyan Meets Aliyev, Putin, Modi
  • Political Persecutions and Selective Justice

Episode 582 | Recorded: September 1, 2026

#Armenia #Artsakh #UkraineWar #IranWar #SCO #Pashinyan #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianPolitics

Transcript: Armenia at the SCO Summit as Ukraine and Iran Wars Intensify | Ep 582, Aug 30, 2026 [EP582]

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2026 | Category: Transcript

In this week’s Groong news roundup, Hovik and Asbed examine Armenia’s position at the SCO Summit amid intensifying global conflicts. We discuss Russia’s escalation in Ukraine, unprecedented Western diplomatic visits to Moscow, the renewed US-Iran War, and Pashinyan’s meetings with regional and global leaders including Aliyev and Putin. We also address the ongoing persecution of former Artsakh leaders and the selective justice targeting Armenia’s political landscape.

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

The AI Factory and Energy Trap: How Armenia Becomes Dependent on Azerbaijan [EP581]

Posted on Saturday, Aug 29, 2026 | Category: Economy, Technology, Armenia

Pashinyan plans 300 MW AI facility but would shut Metsamor nuclear plant, losing net power while creating dependency on Azerbaijani electricity imports.

Ambassador Jack Matlock - Did the West Fumble the Post-Cold War Peace? | Ep 580, Aug 28, 2026 [EP580]

Posted on Friday, Aug 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, US, Russia, Geopolitics, History, Soviet Armenia, USSR | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Recollections from Soviet South Caucasus
  • Why the Soviet Union collapsed
  • How the Cold War ended
  • Reagan and Gorbachev’s diplomacy
  • America’s post-Cold War triumphalism
  • NATO expansion and Russian backlash
  • Great-power rivalry in the Caucasus
  • Armenia’s geopolitical choices today

Episode 580 | Recorded: Aug 27, 2026

#JackMatlock #ColdWar #SovietUnion #Reagan #Gorbachev #NATO #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Armenia

Ambassador Jack Matlock - Did the West Fumble the Post-Cold War Peace? | Ep 580, Aug 28, 2026 [EP580]

Posted on Friday, Aug 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, US, Russia, Geopolitics, History, Soviet Armenia, USSR

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Recollections from Soviet South Caucasus
  • Why the Soviet Union collapsed
  • How the Cold War ended
  • Reagan and Gorbachev’s diplomacy
  • America’s post-Cold War triumphalism
  • NATO expansion and Russian backlash
  • Great-power rivalry in the Caucasus
  • Armenia’s geopolitical choices today

Episode 580 | Recorded: Aug 27, 2026

#JackMatlock #ColdWar #SovietUnion #Reagan #Gorbachev #NATO #Russia #SouthCaucasus #Armenia

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.

Transcript: Ambassador Jack Matlock - Did the West Fumble the Post-Cold War Peace? | Ep 580, Aug 28, 2026 [EP580]

Posted on Friday, Aug 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, US, Russia, Geopolitics, History, Soviet Armenia, USSR, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Ambassador Jack Matlock, the last US Ambassador to the Soviet Union, about whether the West missed a historic opportunity to integrate Russia into Western security architecture after the Cold War. We discuss the internal collapse of the Soviet Union, Reagan-Gorbachev diplomacy, NATO expansion and Russian backlash, and how Cold War-era decisions shape Armenia’s geopolitical choices today, including Matlock’s firsthand observations of Soviet Armenia during glasnost and the Nagorno Karabakh movement.

Armenia's Nuclear Power Plant: Turkey & Azerbaijan's Prize, Security Guarantee Lost [EP579]

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

Ambassador explains why Armenia’s nuclear power plant is not just an energy asset but a critical strategic deterrent against Turkish and Azerbaijani aggression, and why closing it would be catastrophic.

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.

Nakhichevan Militarization: Target is Iran, Not Just Armenia [EP578]

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 19, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia

Experts argue Nakhichevan’s extreme militarization under Aliyev is primarily aimed at Iran, not Armenia, and reflects preparations for potential future conflict.

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

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

One year after Washington’s Armenia-Azerbaijan peace summit, regional tensions escalate as Aliyev threatens military action, Iran rejects TRIPP terms, and Pashinyan pursues EU integration while constitutional reform divides the opposition.

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.

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.

Appeasement of Aggressors Doesn't Stop War, Hrant Mikaelian Says [EP575]

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

Hrant Mikaelian argues that appeasement of aggressors, citing the pre-WWII Chamberlain-Daladier example, historically fails to prevent war and invites further aggression.

Tigranashen Unanswered, Russia’s Railways Challenged | Ep 574, Aug 2, 2026 [EP574]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • New parliament is sworn in
  • Tigranashen and Armenia’s territorial red lines
  • Civil Contract’s evasive enclave answers
  • Armenia challenges Russia’s railway concession
  • TRIPP reshapes regional power and transit

Episode 574 | Recorded: August 3, 2026

#ArmenianNews #Tigranashen #ArmenianRailways #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #ArmeniaRussia #ZangezurCorridor #Geopolitics

Tigranashen Unanswered, Russia’s Railways Challenged | Ep 574, Aug 2, 2026 [EP574]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics

Topics:

  • New parliament is sworn in
  • Tigranashen and Armenia’s territorial red lines
  • Civil Contract’s evasive enclave answers
  • Armenia challenges Russia’s railway concession
  • TRIPP reshapes regional power and transit

Episode 574 | Recorded: August 3, 2026

#ArmenianNews #Tigranashen #ArmenianRailways #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #ArmeniaRussia #ZangezurCorridor #Geopolitics

TRIPP, Turkish Railways, and the Real Game [EP574]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Economy, Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan

Hovik explains why Pashinyan’s proposed Gyumri-Kars railway through Nakhijevan is a fiction: Turkey already has a multi-billion-dollar direct line, and Aliyev has made clear no northern Armenian route exists.

Transcript: Tigranashen Unanswered, Russia’s Railways Challenged | Ep 574, Aug 2, 2026 [EP574]

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed discuss Armenia’s new parliament sworn in on August 2, 2026, and the Armenia Alliance’s direct challenge to Civil Contract over Tigranashen. We examine the government’s evasive responses on territorial red lines, Armenia’s challenge to Russia’s railway concession, and how TRIPP reshapes regional power dynamics in the South Caucasus.

Armenian POWs in Baku: Bone Fractures, No Teeth, No Healthcare [EP571]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 | Category: Human Rights, Politics, Armenia

Asbed and Hovik describe the dire health of Armenian POWs detained in Baku and detail evidence that Pashinyan deliberately keeps them imprisoned to eliminate political rivals.

From Caspian Drones to Armenia’s Cold Winter | Ep 571, Jul 26, 2026 [EP571]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Iran, Politics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Ukraine expands its war into the Caspian
  • Iran warns of a wider regional response
  • Russia and the West test stalled diplomacy
  • Aliyev positions Baku as a geopolitical hub
  • Armenia faces pressure over EU alignment
  • Baku POW abuse and their deteriorating health
  • Housing policy expose domestic failures

Episode 571 | Recorded: July 27, 2026

#Armenia #UkraineWar #Iran #CaspianSea #SouthCaucasus #MiddleCorridor #ArmenianPOWs #Geopolitics

From Caspian Drones to Armenia’s Cold Winter | Ep 571, Jul 26, 2026 [EP571]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Iran, Politics

Topics:

  • Ukraine expands its war into the Caspian
  • Iran warns of a wider regional response
  • Russia and the West test stalled diplomacy
  • Aliyev positions Baku as a geopolitical hub
  • Armenia faces pressure over EU alignment
  • Baku POW abuse and their deteriorating health
  • Housing policy expose domestic failures

Episode 571 | Recorded: July 27, 2026

#Armenia #UkraineWar #Iran #CaspianSea #SouthCaucasus #MiddleCorridor #ArmenianPOWs #Geopolitics

Secret German-Russian Talks in Baku: Aliyev Throws Merz Under the Bus [EP571]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Politics

Asbed describes how Aliyev publicly contradicted Merz’s denial of secret German-Russian talks in Baku, exposing the backchannels and leverage plays reshaping Ukraine peace negotiations.

Archil Sikharulidze - Armenia and Georgia Between Russia and Europe | Ep 570, Jul 26, 2026 [EP570]

Posted on Monday, Jul 27, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Georgia, Geopolitics, Politics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Russia’s changing South Caucasus strategy
  • Georgia’s widening dispute with Europe
  • Armenia’s shift away from Russia
  • Georgia’s role in regional transit
  • Armenia-Georgia ties under pressure

Episode 570 | Recorded: July 24, 2026

#Armenia #Georgia #Russia #EuropeanUnion #SouthCaucasus #GeorgianDream #NikolPashinyan #MiddleCorridor

Archil Sikharulidze - Armenia and Georgia Between Russia and Europe | Ep 570, Jul 26, 2026 [EP570]

Posted on Monday, Jul 27, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Georgia, Geopolitics, Politics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Russia’s changing South Caucasus strategy
  • Georgia’s widening dispute with Europe
  • Armenia’s shift away from Russia
  • Georgia’s role in regional transit
  • Armenia-Georgia ties under pressure

Episode 570 | Recorded: July 24, 2026

#Armenia #Georgia #Russia #EuropeanUnion #SouthCaucasus #GeorgianDream #NikolPashinyan #MiddleCorridor

Transcript: From Caspian Drones to Armenia’s Cold Winter | Ep 571, Jul 26, 2026 [EP571]

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Iran, Politics, Transcript

In this week’s edition of the Armenian News podcast, Hovik and Asbed analyze escalating regional tensions as Ukraine expands operations into the Caspian Sea, striking Iranian and Russian assets. We examine how this merger of the Northern and Southern conflicts affects Armenia, Kazakhstan’s energy security, and Pashinyan’s diplomatic positioning amid new pressure from Western capitals following Aliyev’s recent visits to Germany and Berlin.

Transcript: Archil Sikharulidze - Armenia and Georgia Between Russia and Europe | Ep 570, Jul 26, 2026 [EP570]

Posted on Monday, Jul 27, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Georgia, Geopolitics, Politics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dr. Archil Sikharulidze about Russia’s shifting strategy in the South Caucasus and Armenia and Georgia’s diverging paths. We discuss Moscow’s assessment of Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process developments, Georgia’s widening dispute with Europe, Armenia’s shift away from Russia, and how regional transit corridors reshape geopolitical competition between Moscow, Brussels, and Washington.

Iran War, TRIPP Money, and Armenia’s Political Purgatory | Ep 561, Jul 19, 2026 [EP568]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • US-Iran War Continues
  • Summer Lull in Yerevan Politics
  • Konstantin Sokolov: Master of TRIPP & Teghut
  • UN: Abp. Galstanyan Charges Unjustified
  • Armenian POW Slams Pashinyan from Baku

Episode 568 | Recorded: July 20, 2026

#IranWar #TRIPP #Teghut #Armenia #PoliticalPrisoners #ArmenianPOWs #KonstantinSokolov

Iran War, TRIPP Money, and Armenia’s Political Purgatory | Ep 561, Jul 19, 2026 [EP568]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics

Topics:

  • US-Iran War Continues
  • Summer Lull in Yerevan Politics
  • Konstantin Sokolov: Master of TRIPP & Teghut
  • UN: Abp. Galstanyan Charges Unjustified
  • Armenian POW Slams Pashinyan from Baku

Episode 568 | Recorded: July 20, 2026

#IranWar #TRIPP #Teghut #Armenia #PoliticalPrisoners #ArmenianPOWs #KonstantinSokolov

Transcript: Iran War, TRIPP Money, and Armenia’s Political Purgatory | Ep 561, Jul 19, 2026 [EP568]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 22, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed break down escalating tensions across the Middle East as the US-Iran war intensifies following the collapse of the June ceasefire. We examine the strategic implications for Armenia and the South Caucasus, the role of TRIPP advocates like Konstantin Sokolov, and how regional instability intersects with Pashinyan’s political vulnerabilities at home, including charges against Archbishop Galstanyan and ongoing Armenian POW cases.

NATO in Ankara, War in Iran, and the Scissors Over Armenia | Ep 567, Jul 12, 2026 [EP567]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • NATO summit in Ankara
  • Iran War Update
  • Taking Scissors to Armenia
  • Shaping the Parliament
  • OSCE vs. Garegin II

Episode 567 | Recorded: July 13, 2026

#ArmenianNews #NATOSummit #IranWar #TRIPP #ArmeniaAzerbaijan #ArmenianParliament #GareginII #OSCE

NATO in Ankara, War in Iran, and the Scissors Over Armenia | Ep 567, Jul 12, 2026 [EP567]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics

Topics:

  • NATO summit in Ankara
  • Iran War Update
  • Taking Scissors to Armenia
  • Shaping the Parliament
  • OSCE vs. Garegin II

Episode 567 | Recorded: July 13, 2026

#ArmenianNews #NATOSummit #IranWar #TRIPP #ArmeniaAzerbaijan #ArmenianParliament #GareginII #OSCE

Transcript: NATO in Ankara, War in Iran, and the Scissors Over Armenia | Ep 567, Jul 12, 2026 [EP567]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Transcript

In this Groong Week in Review episode, Hovik and Asbed cover the 36th NATO summit in Ankara, escalating Iran war developments, and Armenia’s removal of murals honoring fallen soldiers. We discuss 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.

Dmitry Suslov - Ukraine’s Endgame, Armenia’s Crossroads | Ep 566, Jul 11, 2026 [EP566]

Posted on Saturday, Jul 11, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Politics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Ukraine’s long war and endgame
  • Novorossiya and a landlocked Ukraine?
  • Europe rearms against Russia
  • NATO 3.0 and containment
  • Armenia’s post-election Western pivot
  • EU promises versus EAEU dependence
  • TRIPP, Syunik, and Russian red lines

Episode 566 | Recorded: July 9, 2026

#Russia #UkraineWar #NATO #Europe #Armenia #SouthCaucasus #TRIPP #Syunik #EAEU

Dmitry Suslov - Ukraine’s Endgame, Armenia’s Crossroads | Ep 566, Jul 11, 2026 [EP566]

Posted on Saturday, Jul 11, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Politics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Ukraine’s long war and endgame
  • Novorossiya and a landlocked Ukraine?
  • Europe rearms against Russia
  • NATO 3.0 and containment
  • Armenia’s post-election Western pivot
  • EU promises versus EAEU dependence
  • TRIPP, Syunik, and Russian red lines

Episode 566 | Recorded: July 9, 2026

#Russia #UkraineWar #NATO #Europe #Armenia #SouthCaucasus #TRIPP #Syunik #EAEU

Transcript: Dmitry Suslov - Ukraine’s Endgame, Armenia’s Crossroads | Ep 566, Jul 11, 2026 [EP566]

Posted on Saturday, Jul 11, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Politics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dr. Dmitry Suslov about Russia’s strategic position across multiple fronts: the Ukraine War, Armenia’s post-election Western pivot, TRIPP and Syunik, and Europe’s rearmament against Russia. We discuss the long-term confrontation between Russia and NATO, Pashinyan’s Western alignment after the June 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election, and how transport corridors in the South Caucasus may reshape regional containment lines.

EU Praises Aliyev for Peace While Ignoring Armenian POWs and Ethnic Cleansing [EP564]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 | Category: Human Rights, Geopolitics, Armenia

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Baku and praised Aliyev for peace and cooperation, while remaining silent on Armenian POWs still held, ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, and destruction of Armenian heritage sites.

If Aliyev Kills 99% of Armenians, EU Will Thank Him for the Museum [EP564]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 | Category: Human Rights, Geopolitics, Armenia

Hovik’s stark warning that EU priorities have shifted so radically toward Azerbaijan that even large-scale ethnic cleansing would likely be reframed as regional stability and economic progress.

The Constitutional Court has ruled, now what? | Ep 564, Jul 5, 2026 [EP564]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Court rubber stamps stolen elections
  • Von der Leyen in the South Caucasus
  • EU connectivity push in Caucasus
  • Rubinyan vs. Simonyan
  • Post-election opposition raids begin
  • IMEI or IMEI not

Episode 564 | Recorded: July 6, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianNews #Pashinyan #ArmenianPolitics #SouthCaucasus #ConstitutionalCourt #SurveillanceState

The Constitutional Court has ruled, now what? | Ep 564, Jul 5, 2026 [EP564]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics

Topics:

  • Court rubber stamps stolen elections
  • Von der Leyen in the South Caucasus
  • EU connectivity push in Caucasus
  • Rubinyan vs. Simonyan
  • Post-election opposition raids begin
  • IMEI or IMEI not

Episode 564 | Recorded: July 6, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianNews #Pashinyan #ArmenianPolitics #SouthCaucasus #ConstitutionalCourt #SurveillanceState

Transcript: The Constitutional Court has ruled, now what? | Ep 564, Jul 5, 2026 [EP564]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Transcript

In this episode of Groong Week in Review for July 5, 2026, Hovik and Asbed analyze Armenia’s Constitutional Court ruling upholding the disputed 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election results. We examine the disqualification of Prosperous Armenia votes, Civil Contract’s three-fifths majority, the opposition’s parliamentary leverage, and what these outcomes mean for Armenian sovereignty amid ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process negotiations and regional pressures.

Dziunik Aghajanian - Iran War, Election Aftermath, Russian Warnings, Israeli Recognition | Ep 563, Jul 2, 2026 [EP563]

Posted on Friday, Jul 3, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • US-Iran MoU
  • Election Aftermath
  • Russian Warnings to Armenia
  • Israeli Recognizes the Armenian Genocide

Episode 563 | Recorded: July 1, 2026

#ArmenianNews #IranWar #DziunikAghajanian #ArmenianElections #RussiaArmenia #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianGenocide

Dziunik Aghajanian - Iran War, Election Aftermath, Russian Warnings, Israeli Recognition | Ep 563, Jul 2, 2026 [EP563]

Posted on Friday, Jul 3, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • US-Iran MoU
  • Election Aftermath
  • Russian Warnings to Armenia
  • Israeli Recognizes the Armenian Genocide

Episode 563 | Recorded: July 1, 2026

#ArmenianNews #IranWar #DziunikAghajanian #ArmenianElections #RussiaArmenia #SouthCaucasus #ArmenianGenocide

Transcript: Dziunik Aghajanian - Iran War, Election Aftermath, Russian Warnings, Israeli Recognition | Ep 563, Jul 2, 2026 [EP563]

Posted on Friday, Jul 3, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Amb. Dziunik Aghajanian about the Iran-Israel conflict, Armenia’s 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election aftermath, and Israeli recognition of the Armenian Genocide. We discuss whether the US-Iran MOU represents genuine de-escalation or a tactical pause before renewed confrontation, the Constitutional Court’s review of election fraud allegations against the Civil Contract regime, and Russia’s warnings to Armenia amid regional instability.

When Israel Recognizes and Yerevan Dodges | Ep 562, Apr 25, 2026 [EP562]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Israel Recognizes the Armenian Genocide
  • Russian Warnings Continue
  • Post Election Limbo

Episode 562 | Recorded: June 29, 2026

#ArmenianGenocide #Armenia #Israel #Pashinyan #RussiaArmenia #SouthCaucasus

When Israel Recognizes and Yerevan Dodges | Ep 562, Apr 25, 2026 [EP562]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics

Topics:

  • Israel Recognizes the Armenian Genocide
  • Russian Warnings Continue
  • Post Election Limbo

Episode 562 | Recorded: June 29, 2026

#ArmenianGenocide #Armenia #Israel #Pashinyan #RussiaArmenia #SouthCaucasus

Transcript: When Israel Recognizes and Yerevan Dodges | Ep 562, Apr 25, 2026 [EP562]

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 1, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Transcript

In this week’s Groong Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed discuss Israel’s historic recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Russia’s ongoing warnings toward Armenia, and the political uncertainty following the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election. We examine the geopolitical context behind Israel’s decision, Pashinyan’s measured response, and what these developments signal about Armenia’s regional position amid shifting US-Turkey relations and broader Middle East tensions.

Team Telecom Routes Armenian Internet Through Azerbaijan: A Strategic Trap [EP561]

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 | Category: Technology, Geopolitics, Armenia, Azerbaijan

Armenia agreed to route internet traffic through Azerbaijan, creating cybersecurity vulnerabilities and strategic dependency on a hostile neighbor with territorial ambitions.

Hrant Mikaelian - Election Aftermath and Polls in Armenia | Ep 559, Jun 20, 2026 [EP559]

Posted on Saturday, Jun 20, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll | Series: cog, video

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Election aftermath and disputed legitimacy
  • Threats against opposition parties
  • Armenia-Russia tensions after vote
  • EU lifeline for Armenian exports
  • Polling failures and hidden votes

Episode 559 | Recorded: June 18, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianElections #HrantMikaelian #NikolPashinyan #CivilContract #ArmeniaRussia #Polling

Hrant Mikaelian - Election Aftermath and Polls in Armenia | Ep 559, Jun 20, 2026 [EP559]

Posted on Saturday, Jun 20, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll

Guest(s):

Topics:

  • Election aftermath and disputed legitimacy
  • Threats against opposition parties
  • Armenia-Russia tensions after vote
  • EU lifeline for Armenian exports
  • Polling failures and hidden votes

Episode 559 | Recorded: June 18, 2026

#Armenia #ArmenianElections #HrantMikaelian #NikolPashinyan #CivilContract #ArmeniaRussia #Polling

Transcript: Hrant Mikaelian - Election Aftermath and Polls in Armenia | Ep 559, Jun 20, 2026 [EP559]

Posted on Saturday, Jun 20, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Transcript

In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Hrant Mikaelian about the disputed aftermath of Armenia’s June 7, 2026 parliamentary election. We discuss allegations of electoral fraud, threats against opposition parties, the Anti-Corruption Committee’s proposed ban on opposition groups, Armenia-Russia tensions following the vote, and the EU’s financial support for Armenian agricultural exports amid Russian sanctions.

Why Armenia and Georgia Must Stay United or Face Azerbaijan Hegemony [EP558]

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 16, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Armenia

Hovik warns that Armenia and Georgia must maintain strong partnership to resist external pressures. Without unity, Azerbaijan will emerge as the regional hegemon, benefiting from competition between its neighbors.

2026 Elections: A Mandate Under Dispute | Ep 556, June 7, 2026 [EP556]

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 10, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Disputed mandate, unresolved majority
  • Election-day irregularities in plain sight
  • ODIHR’s mixed preliminary verdict
  • Bribery replaced by state spending
  • Opposition’s next steps uncertain

Try the Groong Podcast App

Episode 556 | Recorded: Jun 9, 2026 #ArmenianElections #ArmenianNews #CivilContract #Pashinyan #Election2026 #SouthCaucasus

2026 Elections: A Mandate Under Dispute | Ep 556, June 7, 2026 [EP556]

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 10, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics

Topics:

  • Disputed mandate, unresolved majority
  • Election-day irregularities in plain sight
  • ODIHR’s mixed preliminary verdict
  • Bribery replaced by state spending
  • Opposition’s next steps uncertain

Try the Groong Podcast App

Episode 556 | Recorded: Jun 9, 2026 #ArmenianElections #ArmenianNews #CivilContract #Pashinyan #Election2026 #SouthCaucasus