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.

Transcript: Arthur Martirosyan - Iran War, Effect on Armenia, June Parliamentary | Ep 536, Apr 26, 2026 [EP536]

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Church, Ukraine, Iran, Azerbaijan, Israel, USA, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Armenian News, Artsakh Blockade, Genocide, Georgia, European Union, Transcript

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.

Arthur Martirosyan - Iran War, Effect on Armenia, June Parliamentary | Ep 536, Apr 26, 2026 [EP536]

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Church, Ukraine, Iran, Azerbaijan, Israel, USA, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Armenian News, Artsakh Blockade, Genocide, Georgia, European Union | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran War and TRIPP
  • Armenian Genocide commemoration
  • Peace narrative vs corridor reality
  • Parliamentary election

Episode 536 | Recorded: April 27, 2026

Arthur Martirosyan - Iran War, Effect on Armenia, June Parliamentary | Ep 536, Apr 26, 2026 [EP536]

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Church, Ukraine, Iran, Azerbaijan, Israel, USA, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Armenian News, Artsakh Blockade, Genocide, Georgia, European Union

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran War and TRIPP
  • Armenian Genocide commemoration
  • Peace narrative vs corridor reality
  • Parliamentary election

Episode 536 | Recorded: April 27, 2026

Dmitry Suslov - War, Leverage, and Corridors, Russia’s View from All Fronts | Ep 534, Apr 25, 2026 [EP534]

Posted on Saturday, Apr 25, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Iran, World, Economy, Armenia, USA, China, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, BRICS, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, European Union, Turkey | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran war dynamics and Russia’s role
  • Ukraine war and Europe’s militarization
  • Armenia’s pivot and Russia’s response
  • Regional power balance

Episode 534 | Recorded: April 21, 2026

Dmitry Suslov - War, Leverage, and Corridors, Russia’s View from All Fronts | Ep 534, Apr 25, 2026 [EP534]

Posted on Saturday, Apr 25, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Iran, World, Economy, Armenia, USA, China, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, BRICS, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, European Union, Turkey

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran war dynamics and Russia’s role
  • Ukraine war and Europe’s militarization
  • Armenia’s pivot and Russia’s response
  • Regional power balance

Episode 534 | Recorded: April 21, 2026

Transcript: Dmitry Suslov - War, Leverage, and Corridors, Russia’s View from All Fronts | Ep 534, Apr 25, 2026 [EP534]

Posted on Saturday, Apr 25, 2026 | Category: Geopolitics, Iran, World, Economy, Armenia, USA, China, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, BRICS, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, European Union, Turkey, Transcript

In this episode of the Groong podcast, we speak with Dr. Dmitry Suslov about the shifting geopolitical landscape across the Iran war, the Ukraine conflict, and the South Caucasus. We examine the fragile state of the Iran war and its impact on global trade and regional escalation, Russia’s strategic positioning, and the potential for a broader conflict involving Azerbaijan and Turkey. The discussion then turns to the Ukraine war, focusing on attrition, Europe’s growing militarization, and the prospects for a long-term Russia–Europe confrontation. Finally, we explore Russia’s policy in the South  Read More

Dziunik Aghajanian - Iran War, Antalya Diplomatic Forum, Armenian Parliamentary Elections | Ep 532, Apr 19, 2026 [EP532]

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 21, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Politics, USA, Israel, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Armenian Church, Artsakh Blockade, China, NATO | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran War Fears
  • June Parliamentary Elections
  • Attacks on the Armenian Church

Episode 532 | Recorded: April 20, 2026

#Armenia #Iran #IranWar #Hormuz #ArmeniaElections #SouthCaucasus

Dziunik Aghajanian - Iran War, Antalya Diplomatic Forum, Armenian Parliamentary Elections | Ep 532, Apr 19, 2026 [EP532]

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 21, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Politics, USA, Israel, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Armenian Church, Artsakh Blockade, China, NATO

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran War Fears
  • June Parliamentary Elections
  • Attacks on the Armenian Church

Episode 532 | Recorded: April 20, 2026

#Armenia #Iran #IranWar #Hormuz #ArmeniaElections #SouthCaucasus

Transcript: Dziunik Aghajanian - Iran War, Antalya Diplomatic Forum, Armenian Parliamentary Elections | Ep 532, Apr 19, 2026 [EP532]

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 21, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Politics, USA, Israel, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Armenian Church, Artsakh Blockade, China, NATO, Transcript

In this Week in Review episode, Ambassador Dziunik Aghajanian discusses the stalled Iran negotiations after the Islamabad talks, the renewed pressure around Hormuz and the naval blockade, Turkey’s posture toward Israel and the region; Armenia’s lower-profile participation in the Antalya Diplomatic Forum; Russia’s shifting rhetoric on TRIPP and the South Caucasus; and the June 7 parliamentary election in Armenia, including constitutional changes, border concessions, the gas pipeline rerouting issue, and the use of surveillance and arrests against opposition figures.

Hrant Mikaelian - US-Iran Talks, Orban Loses, Armenian Parliamentary Elections, MPG Polls | Ep 531, Apr 12, 2026 [EP531]

Posted on Thursday, Apr 16, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Election, Poll, Iran, Armenia, USA, Israel, Georgia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • US-Iran Talks in Pakistan
  • Orban Loses Hungary Elections
  • Armenian Parliamentary Elections
  • Polls: MPG, IRI, ARAR, EVN

Episode 531 | Recorded: April 14, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #ArmenianPolitics #HungaryElections #ArmeniaPolls

Hrant Mikaelian - US-Iran Talks, Orban Loses, Armenian Parliamentary Elections, MPG Polls | Ep 531, Apr 12, 2026 [EP531]

Posted on Thursday, Apr 16, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Election, Poll, Iran, Armenia, USA, Israel, Georgia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union

Guest:

Topics:

  • US-Iran Talks in Pakistan
  • Orban Loses Hungary Elections
  • Armenian Parliamentary Elections
  • Polls: MPG, IRI, ARAR, EVN

Episode 531 | Recorded: April 14, 2026

#Armenia #IranWar #ArmenianPolitics #HungaryElections #ArmeniaPolls

Transcript: Hrant Mikaelian - US-Iran Talks, Orban Loses, Armenian Parliamentary Elections, MPG Polls | Ep 531, Apr 12, 2026 [EP531]

Posted on Thursday, Apr 16, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Election, Poll, Iran, Armenia, USA, Israel, Georgia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, Transcript

This Week in Review examines how foreign shocks and internal political pressures are converging for Armenia. We look at the breakdown of US-Iran talks and the threat of a new naval blockade, Viktor Orban’s defeat in Hungary and what it may mean for the region, and fresh polling in Armenia on security, war, free speech, voter participation, and party support ahead of the 2026 elections. The episode also explores whether the Abkhaz railway could offer Armenia a real alternative to routes that deepen dependence on Azerbaijan and Turkey, and what the latest polling says about the opposition’s position.

Hovik & Asbed - Iran War, April 2016 War, Armenia & Russia, Politics & Election | Ep 530, Apr 5, 2026 [EP530]

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 8, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Politics, Election, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, European Union, Russia, Georgia, Turkey | Series: cog, video

Topics:

  • Iran War Update
  • 2016 April War
  • Aftermath of Pashinyan in Moscow
  • Domestic Politics & Election

Episode 530 | Recorded: April 7, 2026

#Groong #Armenia

Hovik & Asbed - Iran War, April 2016 War, Armenia & Russia, Politics & Election | Ep 530, Apr 5, 2026 [EP530]

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 8, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Politics, Election, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, European Union, Russia, Georgia, Turkey

Topics:

  • Iran War Update
  • 2016 April War
  • Aftermath of Pashinyan in Moscow
  • Domestic Politics & Election

Episode 530 | Recorded: April 7, 2026

#Groong #Armenia

Transcript: Hovik & Asbed - Iran War, April 2016 War, Armenia & Russia, Politics & Election | Ep 530, Apr 5, 2026 [EP530]

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 8, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Politics, Election, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, European Union, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Transcript

In this Week in Review, Hovik and Asbed discussed the escalating US-Israeli war on Iran and the danger of a wider regional catastrophe; we reflected on the tenth anniversary of the April 2016 Four-Day War and what it revealed about Armenia’s military and diplomatic posture; we examined the fallout from Pashinyan’s Moscow visit and the increasingly blunt Russian response, and reviewed the fast-moving Armenian election campaign, including pressure on the opposition, EU involvement, and the emerging strategies of major the various alliances.

Pietro Shakarian - Iran War, Armenia and Russia, June Parliamentary Elections | Ep 529, Apr 4, 2026 [EP529]

Posted on Saturday, Apr 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Israel, Nagorno Karabakh, BRICS, European Union, Ukraine, NATO | Series: cog

Guest:

Topics:

  • The Iran War and Its Global Impacts
  • Armenia-Russia Relations
  • Parliamentary Elections in Armenia

Episode 529 | Recorded on April 3, 2026

#IranIsraelWar #IsraelIranConflict #IsraelConflict #Armenia #MiddleEastCrisis #ArmeniaElections #PietroShakarian #TRIPP

Pietro Shakarian - Iran War, Armenia and Russia, June Parliamentary Elections | Ep 529, Apr 4, 2026 [EP529]

Posted on Saturday, Apr 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Israel, Nagorno Karabakh, BRICS, European Union, Ukraine, NATO

Guest:

Topics:

  • The Iran War and Its Global Impacts
  • Armenia-Russia Relations
  • Parliamentary Elections in Armenia

Episode 529 | Recorded on April 3, 2026

#IranIsraelWar #IsraelIranConflict #IsraelConflict #Armenia #MiddleEastCrisis #ArmeniaElections #PietroShakarian #TRIPP

Transcript: Pietro Shakarian - Iran War, Armenia and Russia, June Parliamentary Elections | Ep 529, Apr 4, 2026 [EP529]

Posted on Saturday, Apr 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Israel, Nagorno Karabakh, BRICS, European Union, Ukraine, NATO, Transcript

Dr. Pietro Shakarian joined us to discuss the state of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, the shrinking chances for a diplomatic off-ramp, and how the conflict is shifting wider Eurasian politics. The conversation then turned to Armenia, including the likely freezing of TRIPP amid the Iran war, Pashinyan’s contentious visit to Moscow, and the deeper low point in Armenia-Russia relations. The final section focused on Armenia’s June parliamentary elections, public sentiment toward Pashinyan, fears over election integrity, and the evolving opposition landscape.

Anna Karapetyan - Iran War, Pashinyan Fake Narratives, Fear-mongering, Silencing Talk of Artsakh | Ep 528, Mar 29, 2026 [EP528]

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 31, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Artsakh, Election, Nagorno Karabakh, USA, Azerbaijan, Armenian Genocide | Series: wir, video

Guest:

  • Anna Karapetyan Director of the Insight Analytical Center for Applied Policy and Research.

Topics:

  • Iran war escalation and spillover
  • Pashinyan’s Fake “peace” narrative
  • Elections built on fear-mongering
  • Silencing talk of Artsakh

Episode 528 | Recorded: March 30, 2026

Anna Karapetyan - Iran War, Pashinyan Fake Narratives, Fear-mongering, Silencing Talk of Artsakh | Ep 528, Mar 29, 2026 [EP528]

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 31, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Artsakh, Election, Nagorno Karabakh, USA, Azerbaijan, Armenian Genocide

Guest:

  • Anna Karapetyan Director of the Insight Analytical Center for Applied Policy and Research.

Topics:

  • Iran war escalation and spillover
  • Pashinyan’s Fake “peace” narrative
  • Elections built on fear-mongering
  • Silencing talk of Artsakh

Episode 528 | Recorded: March 30, 2026

Hovik & Asbed - Karekin II & Ilia II Funeral, Iran War, Armenia Elections | Ep 527, Mar 22, 2026 [EP527]

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Politics, Israel, USA, Turkey, Russia, China, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Economy, Lebanon | Series: cog, video

Topics:

  • Georgian Patriarch Ilia II passes away
  • Karekin II travel banned from funeral
  • Iran war update
  • June election in Armenia

Episode 527 | Recorded: March 23, 2026

#Groong #Armenia

Hovik & Asbed - Karekin II & Ilia II Funeral, Iran War, Armenia Elections | Ep 527, Mar 22, 2026 [EP527]

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Politics, Israel, USA, Turkey, Russia, China, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Economy, Lebanon

Topics:

  • Georgian Patriarch Ilia II passes away
  • Karekin II travel banned from funeral
  • Iran war update
  • June election in Armenia

Episode 527 | Recorded: March 23, 2026

#Groong #Armenia

YoungMin - Travel Blogger’s Visit to Occupied and Ethnically Cleansed Artsakh | Ep 526, Mar 22, 2026 [EP526]

Posted on Sunday, Mar 22, 2026 | Category: Artsakh, Kagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Nagorno Karabakh, Geopolitics, Middle East, Syria, India, Israel, Russia | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • YoungMin’s journey into post-2023 Artsakh
  • Controlled access, guided narratives
  • Erasing Traces of Armenians
  • In Agdam, Askeran, and Stepanakert
  • Memory, loss, and the aftermath of Ethnic Cleansing

Episode 526 | Recorded: March 21, 2026

#Artsakh #Armenia #YoungMin #NagornoKarabakh #EthnicCleansing

 Read More

YoungMin - Travel Blogger’s Visit to Occupied and Ethnically Cleansed Artsakh | Ep 526, Mar 22, 2026 [EP526]

Posted on Sunday, Mar 22, 2026 | Category: Artsakh, Kagorno Karabakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Nagorno Karabakh, Geopolitics, Middle East, Syria, India, Israel, Russia

Guest:

Topics:

  • YoungMin’s journey into post-2023 Artsakh
  • Controlled access, guided narratives
  • Erasing Traces of Armenians
  • In Agdam, Askeran, and Stepanakert
  • Memory, loss, and the aftermath of Ethnic Cleansing

Episode 526 | Recorded: March 21, 2026

#Artsakh #Armenia #YoungMin #NagornoKarabakh #EthnicCleansing

 Read More

Eldar Mamedov - Iran War: The Northern Front | Ep 525, Mar 22, 2026 [EP525]

Posted on Sunday, Mar 22, 2026 | Category: Iran, Politics, Armenia, Israel, USA, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Syria, Economy, Genocide, NATO, Russia, Georgia, Middle East | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran at War
  • The Northern Front: Turkey & Azerbaijan
  • Changing Nakhijevan’s Constitution

Episode 525 | Recorded: March 20, 2026

#GroongPodcast #EldarMamedov #IranWar #Azerbaijan #SouthCaucasus

Eldar Mamedov - Iran War: The Northern Front | Ep 525, Mar 22, 2026 [EP525]

Posted on Sunday, Mar 22, 2026 | Category: Iran, Politics, Armenia, Israel, USA, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Syria, Economy, Genocide, NATO, Russia, Georgia, Middle East

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran at War
  • The Northern Front: Turkey & Azerbaijan
  • Changing Nakhijevan’s Constitution

Episode 525 | Recorded: March 20, 2026

#GroongPodcast #EldarMamedov #IranWar #Azerbaijan #SouthCaucasus

Varuzhan Geghamyan - Iran War, Zangezur Corridor, Nakhijevan Constitution | Ep 524, Mar 20, 2026 [EP524]

Posted on Friday, Mar 20, 2026 | Category: Politics, Iran, Armenia, Israel, Azerbaijan, USA, Turkey, Artsakh, Geopolitics, Middle East, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Syria, China, Economy, Georgia, Ukraine | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran at War
  • The Northern Front: Turkey & Azerbaijan
  • Changing Nakhichevan’s Constitution

Episode 524 | Recorded: March 19, 2026

#IranWar #VaruzhanGeghamyan #ZangezurCorridor #Syunik #ArmeniaGeopolitics

Varuzhan Geghamyan - Iran War, Zangezur Corridor, Nakhijevan Constitution | Ep 524, Mar 20, 2026 [EP524]

Posted on Friday, Mar 20, 2026 | Category: Politics, Iran, Armenia, Israel, Azerbaijan, USA, Turkey, Artsakh, Geopolitics, Middle East, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Syria, China, Economy, Georgia, Ukraine

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran at War
  • The Northern Front: Turkey & Azerbaijan
  • Changing Nakhichevan’s Constitution

Episode 524 | Recorded: March 19, 2026

#IranWar #VaruzhanGeghamyan #ZangezurCorridor #Syunik #ArmeniaGeopolitics

Scott Horton - Why Are We at War with Iran? | Ep 523, Mar 20, 2026 [EP523]

Posted on Friday, Mar 20, 2026 | Category: Politics, US, Iran, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, China, NATO | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Why this war began
  • U.S. fallout and political costs
  • Paths to wider regional escalation

Episode 523 | Recorded: March 19, 2026

#IranWar #ScottHorton #USIsrael #MiddleEastWar #Geopolitics

Scott Horton - Why Are We at War with Iran? | Ep 523, Mar 20, 2026 [EP523]

Posted on Friday, Mar 20, 2026 | Category: Politics, US, Iran, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, China, NATO

Guest:

Topics:

  • Why this war began
  • U.S. fallout and political costs
  • Paths to wider regional escalation

Episode 523 | Recorded: March 19, 2026

#IranWar #ScottHorton #USIsrael #MiddleEastWar #Geopolitics

Transcript: Scott Horton - Why Are We at War with Iran? | Ep 523, Mar 20, 2026 [EP523]

Posted on Friday, Mar 20, 2026 | Category: Politics, US, Iran, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, China, NATO, Transcript

Scott Horton joins us to examine the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, asking how this war began, what strategic goals are driving it, and where it could lead next. We discuss the limits of air power, the risk of a wider or ground war, the longer arc of U.S. and Israeli policy toward Iran and Syria, Turkey’s role in the region, and the domestic political consequences inside the United States as Trump presses ahead without broad public or congressional support.

Arthur Martirosyan - Iran War, Effect on Armenia, June Parliamentary | Ep 522, Mar 15, 2026 [EP522]

Posted on Monday, Mar 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Church, Ukraine, Iran, Azerbaijan, Israel, USA, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, Georgia, Middle East | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran War
  • Effect on Armenia
  • June Parliamentary Elections

Episode 522 | Recorded: March 16, 2026

Arthur Martirosyan - Iran War, Effect on Armenia, June Parliamentary | Ep 522, Mar 15, 2026 [EP522]

Posted on Monday, Mar 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Church, Ukraine, Iran, Azerbaijan, Israel, USA, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, Georgia, Middle East

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran War
  • Effect on Armenia
  • June Parliamentary Elections

Episode 522 | Recorded: March 16, 2026

Hrant Mikaelian - Iran War, IRI Poll Review, Armenian Political Landscape for 2026 Election | Ep 521, Mar 8, 2026 [EP521]

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Election, Poll, Iran, USA, Israel, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, China | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran War Update
  • IRI Poll Review
  • Political Landscape

Episode 521 | Recorded: March 10, 2026

#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict

Hrant Mikaelian - Iran War, IRI Poll Review, Armenian Political Landscape for 2026 Election | Ep 521, Mar 8, 2026 [EP521]

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Election, Poll, Iran, USA, Israel, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, China

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran War Update
  • IRI Poll Review
  • Political Landscape

Episode 521 | Recorded: March 10, 2026

#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict

Hrant Mikaelian - Iran War, Effect on Armenia, Sumgait Pogroms | Ep 520, Mar 1, 2026 [EP520]

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 4, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, USA, Israel, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, China, BRICS, Ukraine, Middle East, Geopolitics, NATO, Syria | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • US and Israel launch war against Iran
  • Decapitation strikes, mass civilian casualties
  • Iran retaliates region-wide, war expands
  • Armenia leadership silent
  • Sumgait remembered

Episode 520 | Recorded: March 3, 2026

#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict

Hrant Mikaelian - Iran War, Effect on Armenia, Sumgait Pogroms | Ep 520, Mar 1, 2026 [EP520]

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 4, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, USA, Israel, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, China, BRICS, Ukraine, Middle East, Geopolitics, NATO, Syria

Guest:

Topics:

  • US and Israel launch war against Iran
  • Decapitation strikes, mass civilian casualties
  • Iran retaliates region-wide, war expands
  • Armenia leadership silent
  • Sumgait remembered

Episode 520 | Recorded: March 3, 2026

#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict

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

Posted on Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Israel, Genocide, Armenian Church, Iran, Middle East, NATO, Syria | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran War Fears
  • June Parliamentary Elections
  • Attacks on the Armenian Church

Episode 519 | Recorded: February 25, 2026

#Armenia #Iran #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianChurch #SouthCaucasus

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

Posted on Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Israel, Genocide, Armenian Church, Iran, Middle East, NATO, Syria

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran War Fears
  • June Parliamentary Elections
  • Attacks on the Armenian Church

Episode 519 | Recorded: February 25, 2026

#Armenia #Iran #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianChurch #SouthCaucasus

JD Vance in Armenia and Azerbaijan | Ep 517, Feb 15, 2026 [EP517]

Posted on Sunday, Feb 15, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, Armenian Genocide, Iran, Russia, Genocide, Georgia, Israel, China, Ukraine | Series: cog, video

Topics:

  • Vance visit, protocol and optics
  • Tsitsernakaberd tweet, “autocorrect diplomacy”
  • 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

JD Vance in Armenia and Azerbaijan | Ep 517, Feb 15, 2026 [EP517]

Posted on Sunday, Feb 15, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, Armenian Genocide, Iran, Russia, Genocide, Georgia, Israel, China, Ukraine

Topics:

  • Vance visit, protocol and optics
  • Tsitsernakaberd tweet, “autocorrect diplomacy”
  • 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

Philippe Raffi Kalfayan - Europe and America, JD Vance in Armenia, Pashinyan vs. Church | Ep 516, Feb 8, 2026 [EP516]

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 11, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, USA, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Syria, Armenian Church, European Union, Iran, China, Ukraine, Human Rights, Georgia, Israel, Genocide, Economy, Geopolitics, India, NATO | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • A European View of America
  • JD Vance in Armenia
  • Pashinyan vs. The Armenian Church
  • Europe and Armenia

Episode 516 | Recorded: February 9, 2026

Philippe Raffi Kalfayan - Europe and America, JD Vance in Armenia, Pashinyan vs. Church | Ep 516, Feb 8, 2026 [EP516]

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 11, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, USA, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Syria, Armenian Church, European Union, Iran, China, Ukraine, Human Rights, Georgia, Israel, Genocide, Economy, Geopolitics, India, NATO

Guest:

Topics:

  • A European View of America
  • JD Vance in Armenia
  • Pashinyan vs. The Armenian Church
  • Europe and Armenia

Episode 516 | Recorded: February 9, 2026

James Carden & Pietro Shakarian - Global Affairs in the Age of Trump 2.0 | Ep 515, Feb 7, 2026 [EP515]

Posted on Saturday, Feb 7, 2026 | Category: USA, TRIPP, Iran, Armenia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, BRICS, Russia, China, Economy, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, Human Rights, India, Middle East, NATO | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Trump 2.0 and the “Donroe Doctrine”
  • Rules-Based Disorder?
  • Iran vs. the “Big, Beautiful Armada”
  • US Cohesion and Midterms
  • JD Vance in the South Caucasus

Episode 515 | Recorded: February 6, 2026

James Carden & Pietro Shakarian - Global Affairs in the Age of Trump 2.0 | Ep 515, Feb 7, 2026 [EP515]

Posted on Saturday, Feb 7, 2026 | Category: USA, TRIPP, Iran, Armenia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, BRICS, Russia, China, Economy, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, Human Rights, India, Middle East, NATO

Guest:

Topics:

  • Trump 2.0 and the “Donroe Doctrine”
  • Rules-Based Disorder?
  • Iran vs. the “Big, Beautiful Armada”
  • US Cohesion and Midterms
  • JD Vance in the South Caucasus

Episode 515 | Recorded: February 6, 2026

Asbed & Hovik - Iran, Varchaband, War on Church, Mehmet Oz, Strong Armenia, Noragyugh | Ep 512, Feb 1, 2026 [EP512]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 3, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, BRICS, Russia, Turkey, China, India, Ukraine | Series: wir, video

Topics:

  • Iran Conflict
  • Varchaband
  • War on Armenian Church
  • Mehmet Oz vs Armenian Americans
  • Narek Karapetyan and Strong Armenia
  • A Big Beautiful Noragyugh

Episode 512 | Recorded: February 2, 2026

#IranIsraelWar #TrumpArmada #ArmenianChurch #Pashinyan #ArmenianDiaspora

Asbed & Hovik - Iran, Varchaband, War on Church, Mehmet Oz, Strong Armenia, Noragyugh | Ep 512, Feb 1, 2026 [EP512]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 3, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, BRICS, Russia, Turkey, China, India, Ukraine

Topics:

  • Iran Conflict
  • Varchaband
  • War on Armenian Church
  • Mehmet Oz vs Armenian Americans
  • Narek Karapetyan and Strong Armenia
  • A Big Beautiful Noragyugh

Episode 512 | Recorded: February 2, 2026

#IranIsraelWar #TrumpArmada #ArmenianChurch #Pashinyan #ArmenianDiaspora

David Davidian - Armenia’s Foreign Intel Service Annual Report | Ep 511, Jan 31, 2026 [EP511]

Posted on Saturday, Jan 31, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Genocide, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Genocide, India, Israel | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Return of Four Hostages
  • Pashinyan vs. Church
  • TRIPP
  • Armenia Parliamentary Election

Episode 511 | Recorded: January 28, 2026

David Davidian - Armenia’s Foreign Intel Service Annual Report | Ep 511, Jan 31, 2026 [EP511]

Posted on Saturday, Jan 31, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Genocide, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Genocide, India, Israel

Guest:

Topics:

  • Return of Four Hostages
  • Pashinyan vs. Church
  • TRIPP
  • Armenia Parliamentary Election

Episode 511 | Recorded: January 28, 2026

Arthur Khachatryan - Army Day, JD Vance to Armenia, TRIPP, Church, Strong Armenia Political Party | Ep 510, Jan 27, 2026 [EP510]

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Armenian Church, Artsakh Blockade, Iran, Economy, Georgia, Human Rights, Syria | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Memorial Day vs. Army Day
  • JD Vance to Armenia and Azerbaijan
  • Armenian Church Developments
  • Strong Armenia - New Political Party

Episode 510 | Recorded: Jnauary 27, 2026

Arthur Khachatryan - Army Day, JD Vance to Armenia, TRIPP, Church, Strong Armenia Political Party | Ep 510, Jan 27, 2026 [EP510]

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 28, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Armenian Church, Artsakh Blockade, Iran, Economy, Georgia, Human Rights, Syria

Guest:

Topics:

  • Memorial Day vs. Army Day
  • JD Vance to Armenia and Azerbaijan
  • Armenian Church Developments
  • Strong Armenia - New Political Party

Episode 510 | Recorded: Jnauary 27, 2026

Erhan Arik - Horovel and The Armenian Genocide | Ep 509, Jan 22, 2026 [EP509]

Posted on Thursday, Jan 22, 2026 | Category: Arts, Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Turkey, Genocide, Iran, Russia, Middle East, Lebanon, Georgia, India, NATO, Azerbaijan | Series: tcc

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

Erhan Arik - Horovel and The Armenian Genocide | Ep 509, Jan 22, 2026 [EP509]

Posted on Thursday, Jan 22, 2026 | Category: Arts, Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Turkey, Genocide, Iran, Russia, Middle East, Lebanon, Georgia, India, NATO, Azerbaijan

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

Sergei Melkonian - Syria, Iran Unrest, TRIPP, Armenian Parliamentary Elections | Ep 508, Jan 18, 2026 [EP508]

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Syria, Iran, Israel, China, Geopolitics, Middle East, Georgia, Ukraine, Economy, India, European Union | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Syria, Kurds, Turkish advance
  • Iran Unrest, War Postponed
  • TRIPP and sovereignty dispute
  • 2026 Elections and Foreign Influence

Episode 508 | Recorded: January 19, 2026

#ArmenianNews #Syria #Iran #ZangezurCorridor #TRIPP #Geopolitics

Sergei Melkonian - Syria, Iran Unrest, TRIPP, Armenian Parliamentary Elections | Ep 508, Jan 18, 2026 [EP508]

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Syria, Iran, Israel, China, Geopolitics, Middle East, Georgia, Ukraine, Economy, India, European Union

Guest:

Topics:

  • Syria, Kurds, Turkish advance
  • Iran Unrest, War Postponed
  • TRIPP and sovereignty dispute
  • 2026 Elections and Foreign Influence

Episode 508 | Recorded: January 19, 2026

#ArmenianNews #Syria #Iran #ZangezurCorridor #TRIPP #Geopolitics

Anna Grigoryan - Armenia’s Political Crisis | Ep 507, Jan 17, 2026 [EP507]

Posted on Saturday, Jan 17, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Elections, Politics, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, European Union, Economy, Syria, Human Rights, Georgia, Israel, Ukraine | Series: cog, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Return of Four Hostages
  • Pashinyan vs. Church
  • TRIPP
  • Armenia Parliamentary Election

Episode 507 | Recorded: January 16, 2026

#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #TRIPP #ArmenianChurch #POWs

Anna Grigoryan - Armenia’s Political Crisis | Ep 507, Jan 17, 2026 [EP507]

Posted on Saturday, Jan 17, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Elections, Politics, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey, European Union, Economy, Syria, Human Rights, Georgia, Israel, Ukraine

Guest:

Topics:

  • Return of Four Hostages
  • Pashinyan vs. Church
  • TRIPP
  • Armenia Parliamentary Election

Episode 507 | Recorded: January 16, 2026

#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #TRIPP #ArmenianChurch #POWs

Pietro Shakarian - Iran, Russia, and the Geopolitics of Post-Soviet Eurasia | Ep 506, Jan 16, 2026 [EP506]

Posted on Friday, Jan 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, History, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Israel, Nagorno Karabakh, BRICS, European Union, Syria, China, Ukraine, Genocide, India, NATO, Georgia, Middle East, Human Rights | Series: cog

Guest:

Topics:

  • Unrest in Iran
  • Russia-Iran Partnership
  • Solovyov’s Statements
  • Trump’s “TRIPP Wire” in the Caucasus
  • Release of Armenian hostages

Episode 506 | Recorded on January 14, 2026

Pietro Shakarian - Iran, Russia, and the Geopolitics of Post-Soviet Eurasia | Ep 506, Jan 16, 2026 [EP506]

Posted on Friday, Jan 16, 2026 | Category: Armenia, History, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Israel, Nagorno Karabakh, BRICS, European Union, Syria, China, Ukraine, Genocide, India, NATO, Georgia, Middle East, Human Rights

Guest:

Topics:

  • Unrest in Iran
  • Russia-Iran Partnership
  • Solovyov’s Statements
  • Trump’s “TRIPP Wire” in the Caucasus
  • Release of Armenian hostages

Episode 506 | Recorded on January 14, 2026

Arthur Martirosyan - Ukraine, Iran, Baku Pogroms, Church Clash | Ep 505, Jan 11, 2026 [EP505]

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 14, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Church, Ukraine, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, USA, Armenian Genocide, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Iran, Israel, Economy, Georgia, Middle East, Syria, China, Genocide | Series: wir, video

Guest:

Topics:

  • Ukraine war’s global cost to Russia
  • Iran unrest and war risk
  • Remembering the Baku pogroms
  • Russia-Armenia tensions and media threats
  • Pashinyan’s clash with Armenian Church

Episode 505 | Recorded: January 13, 2026