Tag: Ilham Aliyev

Last updated: May 29, 2026

Ilham Aliyev, who has led Azerbaijan since 2003, is one of the most frequently discussed figures in Groong’s coverage. His government’s decision to launch the 44-Day War in 2020 and the subsequent military operation in September 2023 that ended Armenian control of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) — and resulted in the ethnic cleansing of over 100,000 Armenians from the region — fundamentally reshaped the South Caucasus.

Groong episodes examine Aliyev’s relationship with Turkey, his use of energy leverage over Europe, Azerbaijan’s growing ties with Israel and other arms suppliers, his government’s human rights record, and Baku’s demands in ongoing negotiations with Armenia over a peace treaty. Coverage also addresses Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29 in 2024 and what that meant for international scrutiny of the country’s domestic policies.

“Positive Messages” | Street Rallies | Election Setbacks | Siradeghyan Dies | Ep #94 - Oct 24, 2021 [EP94]

Posted on Monday, Oct 25, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh, Iran, Human Rights, Georgia, Turkey, China | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 24, 2021

Topics:

  • Yerevan’s “Positive Messages”
  • Opposition Going Back to Street Rallies?
  • Ruling Party Setbacks in Local Elections
  • Vano Siradeghyan Dies

Guests:

  • Tevan Poghosyan TW/@TevanPoghosyan

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 94 | Recorded: October 25, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211024.html

“Positive Messages” | Street Rallies | Election Setbacks | Siradeghyan Dies | Ep #94 - Oct 24, 2021 [EP94]

Posted on Monday, Oct 25, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh, Iran, Human Rights, Georgia, Turkey, China

ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 24, 2021

Topics:

  • Yerevan’s “Positive Messages”
  • Opposition Going Back to Street Rallies?
  • Ruling Party Setbacks in Local Elections
  • Vano Siradeghyan Dies

Guests:

  • Tevan Poghosyan TW/@TevanPoghosyan

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 94 | Recorded: October 25, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20211024.html

5-year plan | Russia Arming Armenia | Press Freedoms Cut | PaneliTopics | Ep #86 - August 22, 2021 [EP86]

Posted on Monday, Aug 23, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Georgia, Iran, Economy, Syria, Israel, Turkey | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - August 22, 2021

Topics:

  • The Government’s 5-Year Plan
  • Is Russia Rearming Armenia? Artsakh?
  • Press Freedoms Curtailed in Parliament
  • Topics from the Panelists

Guests:

  • Asbed Kotchikian
  • Hrant Mikaelian

Hosts:

  • Asbed Bedrossian @qubriq

Episode 86 | Recorded: August 22, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210822.html

5-year plan | Russia Arming Armenia | Press Freedoms Cut | PaneliTopics | Ep #86 - August 22, 2021 [EP86]

Posted on Monday, Aug 23, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, Georgia, Iran, Economy, Syria, Israel, Turkey

ANN/Groong Week in Review - August 22, 2021

Topics:

  • The Government’s 5-Year Plan
  • Is Russia Rearming Armenia? Artsakh?
  • Press Freedoms Curtailed in Parliament
  • Topics from the Panelists

Guests:

  • Asbed Kotchikian
  • Hrant Mikaelian

Hosts:

  • Asbed Bedrossian @qubriq

Episode 86 | Recorded: August 22, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210822.html

Armenian Foreign policy Between War and Peace | Ep #80 - July 22, 2021 [EP80]

Posted on Thursday, Jul 22, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Artsakh, Ukraine, Georgia, China, India, Syria, Economy, Middle East | Series: COG

Armenian Foreign policy Between War and Peace A Conversation with Dr. Pietro Shakarian and Yeghia Tashjian

Topics:

  • Sparring Partners: Moscow and Ankara
  • Yerevan’s Diplomatic Dilemmas
  • Aliyev’s Appetite and Ambitions

Guests

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian
  • Yeghia Tashjian

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 80 | Recorded: July 21, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20210722.html

Armenian Foreign policy Between War and Peace | Ep #80 - July 22, 2021 [EP80]

Posted on Thursday, Jul 22, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Artsakh, Ukraine, Georgia, China, India, Syria, Economy, Middle East

Armenian Foreign policy Between War and Peace A Conversation with Dr. Pietro Shakarian and Yeghia Tashjian

Topics:

  • Sparring Partners: Moscow and Ankara
  • Yerevan’s Diplomatic Dilemmas
  • Aliyev’s Appetite and Ambitions

Guests

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian
  • Yeghia Tashjian

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 80 | Recorded: July 21, 2021 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20210722.html

Preserving Armenian Heritage - Maghakyan, Khatchadourian, Maranci | Ep #77 - June 30, 2021 [EP77]

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 30, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Armenian Church, Human Rights, Genocide, Syria | Series: COG

Preserving Armenian Heritage

Topics:

  • What is Armenian Art and Architecture?
  • Where does Artsakh’s Heritage fit in the larger Armenian picture?
  • What Armenian Heritage fell under Azerbaijani Control in 2020?
  • What is Caucasus Heritage Watch and What does it do?
  • What can International Organizations do for Artsakh?
  • How do International Instruments fail in Preserving Armenian Heritage?

Host:

  • Simon Maghakyan is an independent researcher of cultural destruction and lecturer in International Relations at the University of Colorado Denver.

Guests

  • Dr. Lori Khatchadourian is Associate Professor of
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Preserving Armenian Heritage - Maghakyan, Khatchadourian, Maranci | Ep #77 - June 30, 2021 [EP77]

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 30, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Armenian Church, Human Rights, Genocide, Syria

Preserving Armenian Heritage

Topics:

  • What is Armenian Art and Architecture?
  • Where does Artsakh’s Heritage fit in the larger Armenian picture?
  • What Armenian Heritage fell under Azerbaijani Control in 2020?
  • What is Caucasus Heritage Watch and What does it do?
  • What can International Organizations do for Artsakh?
  • How do International Instruments fail in Preserving Armenian Heritage?

Host:

  • Simon Maghakyan is an independent researcher of cultural destruction and lecturer in International Relations at the University of Colorado Denver.

Guests

  • Dr. Lori Khatchadourian is Associate Professor of
 Read More

Pashinyan in Moscow | Azerbaijan's Geo-politics | Baku Domestic Politics | Baku's Losses (Ep. 43) [EP43]

Posted on Monday, Jan 18, 2021 | Category: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Syria, Georgia, Iran, Artsakh, Economy, Israel, Human Rights | Series: WIR

ANN/Groong Week in Review - Jan 17, 2021

Topics Covered:

  • Outcomes from Nikol Pashinyan’s trip to Moscow
  • What is Azerbaijan’s geo-political situation after the war?
  • Domestic politics in Baku
  • Azerbaijan’s losses from the second war in Artsakh

Guests

  • Edgar Elbakyan
  • Asbed Kotchikian
  • Emil Sanamyan

Your Hosts:

  • Asbed Bedrossian
  • Hovik Manucharyan

Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20210117.html Recorded: January 17, 2021