Tag: Garegin II
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Garegin II has served as Catholicos of All Armenians — the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church — since 1999. His tenure has coincided with some of the most turbulent periods in modern Armenian history, including the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war, the political upheaval that followed, and an escalating confrontation with the Pashinyan government over the church’s role in Armenian society.
Groong episodes featuring Garegin II examine his public statements during national crises, his relationship with the diaspora, and the government’s effort to reduce the church’s institutional influence. The arrest of senior clergy allied with and answerable to the Catholicosate in 2025 — including Archbishops Bagrat Galstanyan, Mikayel Ajapahyan, and Arshak Khachatryan, and Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan — has placed Garegin II at the center of the most serious church-state confrontation in the post-Soviet history of independent Armenia.
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Rubio’s sudden Armenia visit
- Polls diverge before election
- Hidden vote raises questions
- TRIPP remains deeply polarizing
- “Western Azerbaijan” pressure grows
- Opposition faces arrests, threats
- “Why are you alive?” campaign rhetoric
Episode 550 | Recorded: May 25, 2026
#ArmeniaElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #WesternAzerbaijan #ArmenianOpposition
Rubio Visit, New MPG and IRI Polls, Hidden Votes and Why Are You Alive? | Ep 550, May 24, 2026 [EP550]
Posted on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, PollGroong Links:
Topics:
- Rubio’s sudden Armenia visit
- Polls diverge before election
- Hidden vote raises questions
- TRIPP remains deeply polarizing
- “Western Azerbaijan” pressure grows
- Opposition faces arrests, threats
- “Why are you alive?” campaign rhetoric
Episode 550 | Recorded: May 25, 2026
#ArmeniaElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #WesternAzerbaijan #ArmenianOpposition
Transcript: Rubio Visit, New MPG and IRI Polls, Hidden Votes and Why Are You Alive? | Ep 550, May 24, 2026 [EP550]
Posted on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, TranscriptThis Week in Review examines the tightening political climate in Armenia ahead of the June 2026 parliamentary elections. Asbed and Hovik discuss Marco Rubio’s sudden Armenia visit, new polling from IRI, MPG, and CAEAC, and what the wide gaps in voter disclosure may reveal about hidden opposition support. The episode also covers TRIPP, “Western Azerbaijan” rhetoric, public trust in the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the growing use of arrests, threats, and state pressure against opposition figures. The discussion centers on Pashinyan’s escalating campaign rhetoric, including his “Why are you alive?” outburst, and what it signals about the stakes of the coming election.
Pietro Shakarian - Iran War, Armenia and Russia, June Parliamentary Elections | Ep 529, Apr 4, 2026 [EP529]
Posted on Saturday, Apr 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, history, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Israel | Series: COG
Groong Links:
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, history, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, IsraelGroong Links:
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, history, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Israel, TranscriptDr. 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.
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 | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
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, GeorgiaGroong Links:
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
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 | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
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