Ilham Aliyev
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Ilham Aliyev has led Azerbaijan since succeeding his father Heydar Aliyev in 2003, consolidating an authoritarian system built on hydrocarbon wealth and a foreign policy defined by strategic patience and the eventual use of force in the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict. Aliyev is one of the most frequently discussed figures in Groong’s coverage, appearing across more than 200 episodes.
The two defining events of Aliyev’s tenure in Groong’s coverage are the 44-Day War of 2020 and Azerbaijan’s military offensive of September 2023. The 2020 war — launched with Turkish military support — ended with Armenia’s defeat and the Russian-brokered ceasefire of November 9. Aliyev then used the three-year interregnum to progressively squeeze the remaining Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh through the Lachin Corridor blockade before the September 2023 offensive that expelled the entire Armenian population of Artsakh — what international human rights organizations have characterized as ethnic cleansing.
In Groong’s analysis, Aliyev’s post-2023 posture has continued to pressure Armenia on multiple fronts: demanding constitutional changes, pursuing the Zangezur Corridor through Syunik , and keeping Armenian prisoners of war — including former Artsakh leaders — in Azerbaijani detention. Episodes also examine Aliyev’s foreign policy relationships: his alliance with Turkey, Azerbaijan’s growing ties with Israel and other arms suppliers, his use of energy leverage over Europe, Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29 in Baku in 2024, and Baku’s uneasy balance between Russia and the West.
Groong episodes covering Aliyev address the state of the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process , the human rights situation inside Azerbaijan, and the broader implications of Azerbaijani regional ambitions for Armenian security.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Ilham Aliyev.
Benyamin Poghosyan - Ukraine War update, Pashinyan’s Persecution of Church and Opposition intensifies | Ep 483, Nov 2, 2025 [EP483]
Posted on Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, USA, Armenian Church, Artsakh Blockade, China, Economy, Genocide, India, Iran, Middle East, NATO
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Ukraine war status and U.S.âRussia dynamics
- Churchâstate tensions and religious prosecutions
- Opposition arrests, trials, and civil liberties
- Border demarcation, enclaves
Episode 483 | Recorded: November 3, 2025
Hrant Mikaelian - OTS & CIS summits, Trump-Aliyev Tensions, Armenia Opposition Gears up for 2026 | Ep 478, Oct 12, 2025 [EP478]
Posted on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, China | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Aliyev pushes âZangezur Corridorâ at OTS
- Pashinyan pitches âTrump Routeâ at CIS
- PutinâAliyev meeting eases tensions
- Armeniaâs opposition gears up for 2026
Episode 478 | Recorded: October 14, 2025
Hrant Mikaelian - OTS & CIS summits, Trump-Aliyev Tensions, Armenia Opposition Gears up for 2026 | Ep 478, Oct 12, 2025 [EP478]
Posted on Tuesday, Oct 14, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, ChinaGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Aliyev pushes âZangezur Corridorâ at OTS
- Pashinyan pitches âTrump Routeâ at CIS
- PutinâAliyev meeting eases tensions
- Armeniaâs opposition gears up for 2026
Episode 478 | Recorded: October 14, 2025
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Pashinyan’s rise and Western backing
- Breakdown of talks and secret meetings
- Failures and propaganda during the war
- Aftermath, revisionism, and political responsibility
Episode 476 | Recorded: September 28, 2025
44-Day War, A Tale of Betrayal | Ep 476, Sep 28, 2025 [EP476]
Posted on Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Genocide, NATO, Ukraine, Georgia, Iran, ChinaGroong Links:
Topics:
- Pashinyan’s rise and Western backing
- Breakdown of talks and secret meetings
- Failures and propaganda during the war
- Aftermath, revisionism, and political responsibility
Episode 476 | Recorded: September 28, 2025
Arthur Martirosyan - Sep 19, Civil Contract, Opposition Inaction, Electric Network | Ep 474, Sep 21, 2025 [EP474]
Posted on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Genocide, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, China, Georgia, Israel, Middle East | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Sep. 19: Day of Artsakhâs Ethnic Cleansing
- Civil Contractâs 7th Congress
- Opposition (In)Action
- Electric Network of Armenia
Episode 474 | Recorded: September 22, 2025
Arthur Martirosyan - Sep 19, Civil Contract, Opposition Inaction, Electric Network | Ep 474, Sep 21, 2025 [EP474]
Posted on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Genocide, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, China, Georgia, Israel, Middle EastGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Sep. 19: Day of Artsakhâs Ethnic Cleansing
- Civil Contractâs 7th Congress
- Opposition (In)Action
- Electric Network of Armenia
Episode 474 | Recorded: September 22, 2025
Armen Ashotyan - Pashinyan Vote of No Confidence, Opposition Strategies | Ep 473, Sep 19, 2025 [EP473]
Posted on Friday, Sep 19, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Human Rights, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Economy | Series: cog
Groong Links:
Guest:
- Armen Ashotyan , MP, VP Republican Party of Armenia (HHK)
Topics:
- TRIPP / Trump Route / Zangezur Corridor
- Vote of No Confidence
- âPashinyan or Warâ?
Episode 473 | Recorded on September 17, 2025
Armen Ashotyan - Pashinyan Vote of No Confidence, Opposition Strategies | Ep 473, Sep 19, 2025 [EP473]
Posted on Friday, Sep 19, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Human Rights, Turkey, Azerbaijan, EconomyGroong Links:
Guest:
- Armen Ashotyan , MP, VP Republican Party of Armenia (HHK)
Topics:
- TRIPP / Trump Route / Zangezur Corridor
- Vote of No Confidence
- âPashinyan or Warâ?
Episode 473 | Recorded on September 17, 2025