Nakhijevan
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Nakhijevan is an Azerbaijani exclave separated from Azerbaijan proper by Armenian territory and bordered by Turkey to the northwest, Iran to the south, and Armenia to the north and east. For centuries it was home to a significant Armenian population and contains some of the oldest Armenian cultural and religious monuments in the world, including the ancient Khachkar cemetery of Agulis and the medieval monastery of Tsghna. Over the course of the Soviet period and especially following the collapse of the USSR, the Armenian population of Nakhijevan was progressively displaced — from roughly 40,000 in the late Soviet era to virtually zero by the early 1990s. The medieval Armenian cemetery of Jugha (Djulfa), which contained thousands of ornate khachkars, was systematically destroyed by Azerbaijani authorities between 1998 and 2005.
The exclave’s disconnection from Azerbaijan proper is the primary driver of Azerbaijan’s and Turkey’s demand for a transit corridor through Armenia’s Syunik province — the so-called Zangezur Corridor — which would provide a land link between Baku and Nakhijevan without crossing Armenian-controlled territory. A direct overland corridor would connect Turkey and Azerbaijan in a continuous route, fulfilling a key pan-Turkic connectivity objective. For Iran, such a corridor would sever its direct land border with Armenia, raising significant concerns in Tehran about encirclement and regional access.
Groong covers Nakhijevan in the context of the corridor dispute, the erasure of its Armenian heritage, and the strategic geometry of the South Caucasus . Episodes in this category address how Nakhijevan’s history and geographic isolation shape Azerbaijani and Turkish foreign policy objectives and what resolution of the transit dispute would mean for the region.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Nakhijevan.
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
Armeniaâs Regional Challenges - February 26, 2022 A Conversation with Tatev Hayrapetyan
Topics:
- Tatevâs 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
- Armeniaâs 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
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 KarabakhArmeniaâs Regional Challenges - February 26, 2022 A Conversation with Tatev Hayrapetyan
Topics:
- Tatevâs 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
- Armeniaâs 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
Turkish Armenian Normalization - Conversation with Harut Sassounian | Ep #111 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP111]
Posted on Sunday, Jan 9, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Genocide, Russia, Israel, Artsakh, Economy, Armenian Genocide, Human Rights, Armenian Church, Georgia, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, NATO | Series: cog
Turkish-Armenian Normalization Negotiations A Conversation with Harut Sassounian
- Harut Sassounian has been the publisher of The California Courier newspaper since 1983. He is also the President of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization which has delivered to Armenia and Artsakh $947 million of humanitarian assistance since 1989. He is currently engaged in forming the Diaspora Armenian Parliament through local elections.
Topics:
- History of Turkish-Armenian Attempts at Negotiations
- Who are The Players?
- Why Now? What’s on the Agenda?
- What are the Pitfalls and Opportunities?
Turkish Armenian Normalization - Conversation with Harut Sassounian | Ep #111 - Jan 9, 2022 [EP111]
Posted on Sunday, Jan 9, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Genocide, Russia, Israel, Artsakh, Economy, Armenian Genocide, Human Rights, Armenian Church, Georgia, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, NATOTurkish-Armenian Normalization Negotiations A Conversation with Harut Sassounian
- Harut Sassounian has been the publisher of The California Courier newspaper since 1983. He is also the President of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization which has delivered to Armenia and Artsakh $947 million of humanitarian assistance since 1989. He is currently engaged in forming the Diaspora Armenian Parliament through local elections.
Topics:
- History of Turkish-Armenian Attempts at Negotiations
- Who are The Players?
- Why Now? What’s on the Agenda?
- What are the Pitfalls and Opportunities?
Armenian and Azerbaijani Expert Perspectives on Negotiations | Ep #107 - Dec 15, 2021 [EP107]
Posted on Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Artsakh, USA, China, Syria, Armenian Genocide, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO, Genocide, Israel, India | Series: cog, video
Anar Valiyev and Benyamin Poghosyan discuss stumbling blocks in post-war negotiations
Guests:
- Dr. Anar Valiyev, Associate Professor at Azerbaijani Diplomatic Academy (ADA) University in Baku.
- Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan, Chairman of Yerevan-based think tank Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies.
Topics:
- Artsakh Status (@4:54)
- Is the conflict really “solved” (@11:04)
- Opening of Communications (@38:52)
- Corridor for Corridor (@46:32)
- “Unimpeded” Access (@50:15)
- Russia’s regional role (@53:16)
- Turkey’s regional role (@58:48)
- 3+3 or 3+2 Format
Armenian and Azerbaijani Expert Perspectives on Negotiations | Ep #107 - Dec 15, 2021 [EP107]
Posted on Wednesday, Dec 15, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Geopolitics, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Artsakh, USA, China, Syria, Armenian Genocide, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO, Genocide, Israel, IndiaAnar Valiyev and Benyamin Poghosyan discuss stumbling blocks in post-war negotiations
Guests:
- Dr. Anar Valiyev, Associate Professor at Azerbaijani Diplomatic Academy (ADA) University in Baku.
- Dr. Benyamin Poghosyan, Chairman of Yerevan-based think tank Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies.
Topics:
- Artsakh Status (@4:54)
- Is the conflict really “solved” (@11:04)
- Opening of Communications (@38:52)
- Corridor for Corridor (@46:32)
- “Unimpeded” Access (@50:15)
- Russia’s regional role (@53:16)
- Turkey’s regional role (@58:48)
- 3+3 or 3+2 Format
“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:
- Yerevanâs âPositive Messagesâ
- 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 KarabakhANN/Groong Week in Review - October 24, 2021
Topics:
- Yerevanâs âPositive Messagesâ
- 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
Unblocking The South Caucasus, Facts & 'Alternative Facts' | Ep 83 - Aug 1, 2021 (Recorded 6/14/21) [EP83]
Posted on Monday, Jun 14, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia, Iran, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, Armenian Genocide, Economy, Genocide, Israel, NATO | Series: cog
Guests:
Topic:
- This Conversations on Groong episode is our first Live Show on Clubhouse and hopefully it will be an informative, as well as an enjoyable discussion for all. We will be talking about the politics of opening the paths of communication, lifting blockades, and the rumors, facts, and fallacies around so-called âcorridorsâ through each otherâs countries.
Episode 83 | Recorded: June 14, 2021