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.

Ukraine | Donetsk Luhansk, Artsakh | Aliyev in Moscow | Euronest in Yerevan | Ep #125 - Feb 27, 2022 [EP125]

Posted on Monday, Feb 28, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, Iran, China, Artsakh, Genocide, Economy, Geopolitics, Lebanon, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO

Guest(s):

ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 27, 2022

Topics:

  • Developments in the Ukraine Crisis
  • Donetsk, Luhansk. Artsakh?
  • Aliyev in Moscow
  • Euronest in Yerevan

Guest:

  • Pietro Shakarian
  • Yeghia Tashjian Host:
  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan

Episode 125 | Recorded: Sunday, February 27, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220227.html

Armenia’s Regional Challenges with Tatev Hayrapetyan | Ep #124 - Feb 26, 2022 [EP124]

Posted on Saturday, Feb 26, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Ukraine, Artsakh, China, India, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: cog

Armenia’s Regional Challenges - February 26, 2022 A Conversation with Tatev Hayrapetyan

Topics:

  • Tatev’s Background and Entrance into Politics
  • Armenia Going in the Wrong Direction?
  • Aliyev and his Regime after the 44-Day War
  • The Shushi and Moscow Agreements
  • Armenia’s Foreign Affairs Establishment

Guest:

  • Tatev Hayrapetyan is an expert in Azerbaijani studies and holds a PhD in History. She was an MP at the 7th convocation of Armenia’s National Assembly, a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Armenian Delegation at the PACE. She is mainly focused on domestic
 Read More

Armenia’s Regional Challenges with Tatev Hayrapetyan | Ep #124 - Feb 26, 2022 [EP124]

Posted on Saturday, Feb 26, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Ukraine, Artsakh, China, India, Nagorno Karabakh

Armenia’s Regional Challenges - February 26, 2022 A Conversation with Tatev Hayrapetyan

Topics:

  • Tatev’s Background and Entrance into Politics
  • Armenia Going in the Wrong Direction?
  • Aliyev and his Regime after the 44-Day War
  • The Shushi and Moscow Agreements
  • Armenia’s Foreign Affairs Establishment

Guest:

  • Tatev Hayrapetyan is an expert in Azerbaijani studies and holds a PhD in History. She was an MP at the 7th convocation of Armenia’s National Assembly, a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Armenian Delegation at the PACE. She is mainly focused on domestic
 Read More

POWs | War Commission | Degrading Democracy | Lukashenko | MPG poll | Ep #119 - Feb 13, 2022 [EP119]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 15, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Armenia, Politics, Poll, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, China, Ukraine, Georgia, Israel, USA, Economy, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, Geopolitics, Lebanon, NATO, Syria | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 13, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00:00 Introduction
  • 00:02:43 8 More POWs Released, But What At What Cost?
  • 00:20:40 Parliamentary Commission on the 44-Day War Established
  • 00:33:42 The Degrading Norms of Democracy in Armenia
  • 00:46:42 Who Needs Armenia?
  • 01:06:32 Latest MPG Poll Results in Yerevan
  • 01:18:51 Rants

Guest:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 119 | Recorded: Sunday, February 14, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220213.html

POWs | War Commission | Degrading Democracy | Lukashenko | MPG poll | Ep #119 - Feb 13, 2022 [EP119]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 15, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Armenia, Politics, Poll, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, China, Ukraine, Georgia, Israel, USA, Economy, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, Geopolitics, Lebanon, NATO, Syria

ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 13, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00:00 Introduction
  • 00:02:43 8 More POWs Released, But What At What Cost?
  • 00:20:40 Parliamentary Commission on the 44-Day War Established
  • 00:33:42 The Degrading Norms of Democracy in Armenia
  • 00:46:42 Who Needs Armenia?
  • 01:06:32 Latest MPG Poll Results in Yerevan
  • 01:18:51 Rants

Guest:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 119 | Recorded: Sunday, February 14, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220213.html

Legal & Human Rights Developments in Armenia - Ruben Melikyan | Ep #117 - Feb 4, 2022 [EP117]

Posted on Friday, Feb 4, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Azerbaijan, Genocide, Russia, Turkey, China, Iran | Series: cog

Guest(s):

Legal & Human Rights Developments in Armenia A Conversation with Ruben Melikyan

Ruben Melikyan was formerly Artsakh’s Human Rights Ombudsman, and prior to that he was rector of the Justice Academy of Armenia. In 2019, Melikyan co-founded and currently leads the “Path of Law” NGO. Իրավական ուղի in Armenian.

Topics:

  • Introduction
  • Decisions of the International Court of Justice
  • Turkish-Armenian “Normalization”
  • More Constitutional Changes
  • Civil Contract Appoints new HR Ombudsman for Armenia
  • Continuing Harassment of Opposition Leaders
 Read More

Legal & Human Rights Developments in Armenia - Ruben Melikyan | Ep #117 - Feb 4, 2022 [EP117]

Posted on Friday, Feb 4, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Azerbaijan, Genocide, Russia, Turkey, China, Iran

Guest(s):

Legal & Human Rights Developments in Armenia A Conversation with Ruben Melikyan

Ruben Melikyan was formerly Artsakh’s Human Rights Ombudsman, and prior to that he was rector of the Justice Academy of Armenia. In 2019, Melikyan co-founded and currently leads the “Path of Law” NGO. Իրավական ուղի in Armenian.

Topics:

  • Introduction
  • Decisions of the International Court of Justice
  • Turkish-Armenian “Normalization”
  • More Constitutional Changes
  • Civil Contract Appoints new HR Ombudsman for Armenia
  • Continuing Harassment of Opposition Leaders
 Read More

Major Incident on the Line of Contact | Turkish-Armenian Meeting in Moscow | Ep #113 - Jan 16, 2022 [EP113]

Posted on Monday, Jan 17, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, USA, Georgia, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 16, 2022

Topics:

  • Major incident on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Line of Contact
  • Turkish-Armenian meeting in Moscow

Guests:

  • Edgar Elbakyan TW/@ElbakyanEdgar

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 113 | Recorded: Sunday, January 17, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220116.html

Major Incident on the Line of Contact | Turkish-Armenian Meeting in Moscow | Ep #113 - Jan 16, 2022 [EP113]

Posted on Monday, Jan 17, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, USA, Georgia, Nagorno Karabakh

ANN/Groong Week in Review - January 16, 2022

Topics:

  • Major incident on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Line of Contact
  • Turkish-Armenian meeting in Moscow

Guests:

  • Edgar Elbakyan TW/@ElbakyanEdgar

Guest(s):

Hosts:

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

Episode 113 | Recorded: Sunday, January 17, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220116.html