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.

“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, Nagorno Karabakh | 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

Guest(s):

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, Nagorno Karabakh

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

Guest(s):

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, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union | 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

Guest(s):

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, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union

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

Guest(s):

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, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO, European Union | 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

Guest(s):

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, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO, European Union

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

Guest(s):

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, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO | Series: cog

Guest(s):

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

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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, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO

Guest(s):

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

 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, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir

Guest(s):

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