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.

Guest:

Topics:

  • Israel and Iran
  • Crackdown on the Opposition
  • Pashinyan in Istanbul
  • The Kitchen Sink

Episode 449 | Recorded: June 25, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Israel and Iran
  • Crackdown on the Opposition
  • Pashinyan in Istanbul
  • The Kitchen Sink

Episode 449 | Recorded: June 25, 2025

Guest:

  • Rananjay Anand , Co-Founder & President of the Indo-Armenian Friendship NGO.

Topics:

  • Operation Sindoor
  • Indians Boycott Turkey & Azerbaijan
  • Armenia as a Robus Partner

Episode 445 | Recorded: June 9, 2025

Guest:

  • Rananjay Anand , Co-Founder & President of the Indo-Armenian Friendship NGO.

Topics:

  • Operation Sindoor
  • Indians Boycott Turkey & Azerbaijan
  • Armenia as a Robus Partner

Episode 445 | Recorded: June 9, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Turkey-Pakistan-Azerbaijan Axis
  • Operation Sindoor
  • Armenia As a Strategic Partner
  • West Asia and Eurasia Context
  • Future Outlook

Episode 443 | Recorded: June 3, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Turkey-Pakistan-Azerbaijan Axis
  • Operation Sindoor
  • Armenia As a Strategic Partner
  • West Asia and Eurasia Context
  • Future Outlook

Episode 443 | Recorded: June 3, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Status of Ukraine and US-Iran Crises
  • Hakan Fidan in Moscow
  • Erdogan, Aliyev, Sharif in Lachin
  • Azerbaijan and Pashinyan Attack the Armenian Church
  • Impeachment vs. Elections
  • The Kitchen Sink

Episode 442 | Recorded: June 2, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Status of Ukraine and US-Iran Crises
  • Hakan Fidan in Moscow
  • Erdogan, Aliyev, Sharif in Lachin
  • Azerbaijan and Pashinyan Attack the Armenian Church
  • Impeachment vs. Elections
  • The Kitchen Sink

Episode 442 | Recorded: June 2, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • May 28, Republic Day
  • Armenia’s EU-Russia policy confusion
  • Constitutional changes for “peace”
  • Impeachment vs. election dilemma
  • Azeri invasion threat and silence

Episode 441 | Recorded: May 28, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • May 28, Republic Day
  • Armenia’s EU-Russia policy confusion
  • Constitutional changes for “peace”
  • Impeachment vs. election dilemma
  • Azeri invasion threat and silence

Episode 441 | Recorded: May 28, 2025

INTERVIEW IN ARMENIAN / ՀԱՐՑԱԶՐՈՒՅՑ ՀԱՅԵՐԵՆ

Guest:

Topics:

  • Criminal charges used to silence Edgar Ghazaryan / Քրեական մեղադրանքներ՝ Էդգար Ղազարյանին լռեցնելու համար
  • Media freedom in Armenia under Pashinyan’s rule / Մամուլի ազատությունը Հայաստանում Փաշինյանի կառավարման օրոք
  • Public broadcasting under political control / Հանրային հեռարձակումը քաղաքական վերահսկողության տակ
  • State-aligned actors spreading misinformation / Ապատեղեկատվություն տարածող պետական կողմի դերակատարները

Episode 440 | Recorded: March 9, 2025

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INTERVIEW IN ARMENIAN / ՀԱՐՑԱԶՐՈՒՅՑ ՀԱՅԵՐԵՆ

Guest:

Topics:

  • Criminal charges used to silence Edgar Ghazaryan / Քրեական մեղադրանքներ՝ Էդգար Ղազարյանին լռեցնելու համար
  • Media freedom in Armenia under Pashinyan’s rule / Մամուլի ազատությունը Հայաստանում Փաշինյանի կառավարման օրոք
  • Public broadcasting under political control / Հանրային հեռարձակումը քաղաքական վերահսկողության տակ
  • State-aligned actors spreading misinformation / Ապատեղեկատվություն տարածող պետական կողմի դերակատարները

Episode 440 | Recorded: March 9, 2025

 Read More

Guest:

Topics:

  • Pashinyan in Tirana
  • Russia’s Lavrov in Yerevan
  • Democracy in Jeopardy
  • Armenia’s Demilitarization by Any Other Name
  • The Kitchen Sink

Episode 438 | Recorded: May 21, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Pashinyan in Tirana
  • Russia’s Lavrov in Yerevan
  • Democracy in Jeopardy
  • Armenia’s Demilitarization by Any Other Name
  • The Kitchen Sink

Episode 438 | Recorded: May 21, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • US-Iran Nuclear Talks
  • Pezeshkian Visit to Baku
  • Iran-Armenia Relations
  • US Support for Azerbaijan

Episode 437 | Recorded: May 16, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • US-Iran Nuclear Talks
  • Pezeshkian Visit to Baku
  • Iran-Armenia Relations
  • US Support for Azerbaijan

Episode 437 | Recorded: May 16, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • May 9, Victory Day and Parade
  • Pashinyan, Aliyev Posture at Victory Day
  • Artsrun Hovhannisyan’s Historical Revision
  • Armenia and Artsakh Contributions to WW2

Episode 436 | Recorded: May 15, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • May 9, Victory Day and Parade
  • Pashinyan, Aliyev Posture at Victory Day
  • Artsrun Hovhannisyan’s Historical Revision
  • Armenia and Artsakh Contributions to WW2

Episode 436 | Recorded: May 15, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • May 9 Victory Parade
  • Ukraine
  • India and Pakistan
  • Armenian Azerbaijani Talks
  • American Pope

Episode 435 | Recorded: May 12, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • May 9 Victory Parade
  • Ukraine
  • India and Pakistan
  • Armenian Azerbaijani Talks
  • American Pope

Episode 435 | Recorded: May 12, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran Sanctions Escalate Amid Tensions
  • Journalist Beaten Inside Yerevan Office
  • Moscow Celebrates Victory Day Parade
  • Armenia Caught Between EU and Russia

Episode 434 | Recorded: May 6, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Iran Sanctions Escalate Amid Tensions
  • Journalist Beaten Inside Yerevan Office
  • Moscow Celebrates Victory Day Parade
  • Armenia Caught Between EU and Russia

Episode 434 | Recorded: May 6, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Vatican Hosts Fake Azeri Conference
  • Azerbaijani Propaganda and Cultural Misappropriation
  • Weakness and Silent Complicity of the Armenian State

Episode 430 | Recorded: April 26, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Vatican Hosts Fake Azeri Conference
  • Azerbaijani Propaganda and Cultural Misappropriation
  • Weakness and Silent Complicity of the Armenian State

Episode 430 | Recorded: April 26, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • US-Iran Talks & Israeli Threats
  • Trump Administration Support for Azerbaijan
  • Iran-Azerbaijan Relations & Corridor Demands
  • Vatican Controversy & Global Anti-Armenian Propaganda
  • Local Elections in Gyumri and Parakar
  • Government-Fueled Hate Against Artsakh Refugees

Episode 429 | Recorded: April 22, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • US-Iran Talks & Israeli Threats
  • Trump Administration Support for Azerbaijan
  • Iran-Azerbaijan Relations & Corridor Demands
  • Vatican Controversy & Global Anti-Armenian Propaganda
  • Local Elections in Gyumri and Parakar
  • Government-Fueled Hate Against Artsakh Refugees

Episode 429 | Recorded: April 22, 2025

Guest:

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

Topics:

  • Iran-Armenia Military Exercises
  • Armenian Villages Terrorized by Azerbaijan
  • Mirzoyan in Antalya
  • Armenia’s Genocide Denial

Episode 428 | Recorded: April 14, 2025

Guest:

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

Topics:

  • Iran-Armenia Military Exercises
  • Armenian Villages Terrorized by Azerbaijan
  • Mirzoyan in Antalya
  • Armenia’s Genocide Denial

Episode 428 | Recorded: April 14, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Trump’s Iran ultimatum explored
  • Turkey’s protests seen as strategic
  • Azerbaijan’s peace deal as smokescreen
  • Armenia’s Westward drift analyzed
  • Gyumri elections stir controversy

Episode 424 | Recorded: March 25, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Trump’s Iran ultimatum explored
  • Turkey’s protests seen as strategic
  • Azerbaijan’s peace deal as smokescreen
  • Armenia’s Westward drift analyzed
  • Gyumri elections stir controversy

Episode 424 | Recorded: March 25, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia-Azerbaijan “Treaty”: Concessions, secrecy, opposition backlash.
  • Preconditions for Peace: OSCE Minsk dissolution, constitutional changes.
  • Ukraine War Talks: Jeddah negotiations, UAV attacks, Trump-Putin call.
  • Witkoff’s Baku Stop: Mysterious visit raising geopolitical questions.

Episode 423 | Recorded: March 17, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Armenia-Azerbaijan “Treaty”: Concessions, secrecy, opposition backlash.
  • Preconditions for Peace: OSCE Minsk dissolution, constitutional changes.
  • Ukraine War Talks: Jeddah negotiations, UAV attacks, Trump-Putin call.
  • Witkoff’s Baku Stop: Mysterious visit raising geopolitical questions.

Episode 423 | Recorded: March 17, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Ukraine Negotiations in Riyadh
  • Edgar Ghazayan Bullied by the Government
  • Robert Kocharyan Press Conference
  • Yerevan Bus Fares

Episode 418 | Recorded: February 24, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Ukraine Negotiations in Riyadh
  • Edgar Ghazayan Bullied by the Government
  • Robert Kocharyan Press Conference
  • Yerevan Bus Fares

Episode 418 | Recorded: February 24, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • World Politics
  • Plan, or No Plan?
  • Corridor Talk
  • Domestic Politics

Episode 416 | Recorded: February 17, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • World Politics
  • Plan, or No Plan?
  • Corridor Talk
  • Domestic Politics

Episode 416 | Recorded: February 17, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Effects of the Shutdown of USAID
  • Georgia and the EU
  • Georgia and the South Caucasus

Episode 412 | Recorded: February 9, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Effects of the Shutdown of USAID
  • Georgia and the EU
  • Georgia and the South Caucasus

Episode 412 | Recorded: February 9, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • MPG Poll: Pashinyan’s Rating Tanks
  • Russia Azerbaijan Relations Deteriorating
  • Armenia’s Strategic Geopolitical Balancing
  • Azerbaijan and the “Zangezur Corridor”

Episode 410 | Recorded: February 3, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • MPG Poll: Pashinyan’s Rating Tanks
  • Russia Azerbaijan Relations Deteriorating
  • Armenia’s Strategic Geopolitical Balancing
  • Azerbaijan and the “Zangezur Corridor”

Episode 410 | Recorded: February 3, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Mirzoyan in Moscow
  • Vahan Kostanyan in Tehran
  • Mher Grigoryan on the Border (concessions)
  • FIS Annual Report 2025
  • The Silence of the Lambs

Episode 408 | Recorded: January 29, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Mirzoyan in Moscow
  • Vahan Kostanyan in Tehran
  • Mher Grigoryan on the Border (concessions)
  • FIS Annual Report 2025
  • The Silence of the Lambs

Episode 408 | Recorded: January 29, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Russo-Iranian Partnership Treaty
  • Implications of 🇷🇺 - 🇮🇷 pact for Armenia
  • Trump Back in Office: War or Peace?

Episode 407 | Recorded: January 25, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Russo-Iranian Partnership Treaty
  • Implications of 🇷🇺 - 🇮🇷 pact for Armenia
  • Trump Back in Office: War or Peace?

Episode 407 | Recorded: January 25, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Incoming Trump Admin
  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks Stalled
  • Iran Security Chief Visit
  • Armenia’s Pro-West Signals

Episode 404 | Recorded: January 14, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Incoming Trump Admin
  • Armenia Azerbaijan Talks Stalled
  • Iran Security Chief Visit
  • Armenia’s Pro-West Signals

Episode 404 | Recorded: January 14, 2025

Guest:

Topics:

  • Pashinyan’s Lies on Decades of Negotiations
  • 17 Points to an Agreement
  • 2024 Review and 2025 Outlook

Episode 403 | Recorded: December 31, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Pashinyan’s Lies on Decades of Negotiations
  • 17 Points to an Agreement
  • 2024 Review and 2025 Outlook

Episode 403 | Recorded: December 31, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Syria’s Fall and Regional Power Shifts
  • Turkey’s Expanding Influence in Syria
  • Impact on Armenia-Azerbaijan Relations
  • Russia and Iran’s Middle East Strategy

Episode 399 | Recorded: December 19, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Syria’s Fall and Regional Power Shifts
  • Turkey’s Expanding Influence in Syria
  • Impact on Armenia-Azerbaijan Relations
  • Russia and Iran’s Middle East Strategy

Episode 399 | Recorded: December 19, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Memories of the Artsakh Blockade
  • Ethnic Cleansing
  • Trump Returns to the White House

Episode 397 | Recorded: December 18, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Memories of the Artsakh Blockade
  • Ethnic Cleansing
  • Trump Returns to the White House

Episode 397 | Recorded: December 18, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Syria and the Middle East
  • The South Caucasus
  • Turkey, Iran, Russia

Episode 396 | Recorded: December 13, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Syria and the Middle East
  • The South Caucasus
  • Turkey, Iran, Russia

Episode 396 | Recorded: December 13, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Remembering the 1988 Earthquake in Spitak, Armenia
  • Aliyev’s “New” Demands
  • The Fall of Syria
  • Georgia’s Post-Election Unrest
  • Civil Contract Disobedience

Episode 394 | Recorded: December 9, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Remembering the 1988 Earthquake in Spitak, Armenia
  • Aliyev’s “New” Demands
  • The Fall of Syria
  • Georgia’s Post-Election Unrest
  • Civil Contract Disobedience

Episode 394 | Recorded: December 9, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Turkey’s Role in the 44-Day War
  • NATO and Intelligence Sharing
  • Global Power Rivalries
  • Lessons from U.S. Intelligence Practices

Episode 392 | Recorded: December 2, 2024

Guest:

Topics:

  • Turkey’s Role in the 44-Day War
  • NATO and Intelligence Sharing
  • Global Power Rivalries
  • Lessons from U.S. Intelligence Practices

Episode 392 | Recorded: December 2, 2024

Turkey’s Role in the 44-Day War. NATO and Intelligence Sharing. Global Power Rivalries. Lessons from U.S. Intelligence Practices.

Guest:

Topics:

  • Escalation in Syria
  • COP29 Summit
  • Can NATO save Armenia?

Episode 391 | Recorded: December 4, 2024