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.
Hrant Mikaelian: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 8 [EP186]
Posted on Monday, Dec 19, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, Ukraine, Human Rights, Georgia, European Union, Geopolitics, Israel
Guest:
- Hrant Mikaelian , a political scientist and multidisciplinary researcher in social sciences based in Yerevan. He is also a senior researcher at the Caucasus Institute.
“The full state-led attack against Artsakh and Armenia, which no-one in Europe condemned, was a case where the military solution worked. From 2020 onwards, many actors in the world see that you can attack and get away with it.”
Topic:
This is Day 8 of the blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan. 120 thousand people are effectively being held hostage by the regime in Baku.
Groong and 168 Hours are continuing our
Read MoreArthur Khachikyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 6 [EP185]
Posted on Saturday, Dec 17, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, Iran, Ukraine, NATO, Israel, China, Economy, India | Series: cog, video
Guest:
- Arthur Khachikyan , PhD is an International Relations expert from Stanford University, specializing in Intervention. He currently teaches at the Russian Armenian University in Yerevan.
Topic:
Weâre going on to Day 6 of the Artsakh Blockade by Azerbaijan, and Groong and 168 Hours are teaming up to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious issue, a major humanitarian crisis in Artsakh in progress.
“We somehow have this complex. We think weâre the sleeping beauty and the west is going to come and save us. And every time that it
Read MoreArthur Khachikyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 6 [EP185]
Posted on Saturday, Dec 17, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Artsakh Blockade, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Genocide, Iran, Ukraine, NATO, Israel, China, Economy, IndiaGuest:
- Arthur Khachikyan , PhD is an International Relations expert from Stanford University, specializing in Intervention. He currently teaches at the Russian Armenian University in Yerevan.
Topic:
Weâre going on to Day 6 of the Artsakh Blockade by Azerbaijan, and Groong and 168 Hours are teaming up to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious issue, a major humanitarian crisis in Artsakh in progress.
“We somehow have this complex. We think weâre the sleeping beauty and the west is going to come and save us. And every time that it
Read MoreԱրցախը Շրջափակման Մեջ: Օր 4 | Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 4 [EP184]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 15, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Politics, In Armenian, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Artsakh Blockade | Series: cog
Guest:
«ÕÕ¡ ÕºÕ¥Õ¿Ö Õ§ Õ¸Õ£ÖÕ¸ÖÕ« Ö Õ¸Õ£Õ¥Õ·Õ¶Õ¹Õ« ÕµÕ¸ÖÖÕ¡ÖÕ¡Õ¶Õ¹ÕµÕ¸ÖÖ Õ°Õ¡ÕµÕ« Ö ÕºÕ¥Õ¿Ö Õ§ Õ¶Õ¸Ö Õ©Õ¡Ö Õ°Õ¡Õ²Õ¸ÖÕ¤Õ« Õ´Õ¥Ö Õ¡ÕµÕ¶ 30 Õ¿Õ¡ÖÕ«Õ¶Õ¥ÖÕ« ÕºÕ¡ÕµÖÕ¡ÖÕ«Õ¶, Õ¸ÖÕ¨ Õ¤Õ¥Õ¼ÖÕ½ Õ¹Õ¥Õ¶Ö Õ¡Õ¾Õ¡ÖÕ¿Õ¥Õ¬:»
Episode 184 | Recorded: December 15, 2022
Արցախը Շրջափակման Մեջ: Օր 4 | Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 4 [EP184]
Posted on Thursday, Dec 15, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Politics, In Armenian, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Artsakh BlockadeGuest:
«ÕÕ¡ ÕºÕ¥Õ¿Ö Õ§ Õ¸Õ£ÖÕ¸ÖÕ« Ö Õ¸Õ£Õ¥Õ·Õ¶Õ¹Õ« ÕµÕ¸ÖÖÕ¡ÖÕ¡Õ¶Õ¹ÕµÕ¸ÖÖ Õ°Õ¡ÕµÕ« Ö ÕºÕ¥Õ¿Ö Õ§ Õ¶Õ¸Ö Õ©Õ¡Ö Õ°Õ¡Õ²Õ¸ÖÕ¤Õ« Õ´Õ¥Ö Õ¡ÕµÕ¶ 30 Õ¿Õ¡ÖÕ«Õ¶Õ¥ÖÕ« ÕºÕ¡ÕµÖÕ¡ÖÕ«Õ¶, Õ¸ÖÕ¨ Õ¤Õ¥Õ¼ÖÕ½ Õ¹Õ¥Õ¶Ö Õ¡Õ¾Õ¡ÖÕ¿Õ¥Õ¬:»
Episode 184 | Recorded: December 15, 2022
Gev Iskajyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 3 [EP183]
Posted on Wednesday, Dec 14, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Human Rights, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade | Series: cog
Guest:
For three days now the campaign instigated by the government of Azerbaijan has prevented the freedom of movement of Armenians of Artsakh. Gas supplies have also been cut off.
âArtsakh is still Armenian land. Artsakh is still an independent republic. Artsakh is not gone. … We have to hold on to what remains of this land here.â - Gev Iskajyan
Episode 183 | Recorded: December 14, 2022
Gev Iskajyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 3 [EP183]
Posted on Wednesday, Dec 14, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Human Rights, Russia, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh BlockadeGuest:
For three days now the campaign instigated by the government of Azerbaijan has prevented the freedom of movement of Armenians of Artsakh. Gas supplies have also been cut off.
âArtsakh is still Armenian land. Artsakh is still an independent republic. Artsakh is not gone. … We have to hold on to what remains of this land here.â - Gev Iskajyan
Episode 183 | Recorded: December 14, 2022
Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations | Artsakh Reshuffle | Opposition [EP181]
Posted on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2022 | Category: Politics, Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Russia, Iran, NATO, Ukraine, Economy, Middle East | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations Continue
- CSTO Debacle
- Lavrov Bombshell
- Lachin Corridor Blockaded
- Brussels Summit Canceled
- Artsakh President Lays off Government
- Parliamentary Opposition Fragmenting
Episode 181 | Recorded: December 6, 2022
Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations | Artsakh Reshuffle | Opposition [EP181]
Posted on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2022 | Category: Politics, Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Russia, Iran, NATO, Ukraine, Economy, Middle EastGuest:
Topics:
- Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations Continue
- CSTO Debacle
- Lavrov Bombshell
- Lachin Corridor Blockaded
- Brussels Summit Canceled
- Artsakh President Lays off Government
- Parliamentary Opposition Fragmenting
Episode 181 | Recorded: December 6, 2022