South Caucasus
Last updated: May 29, 2026
The South Caucasus sits at the crossroads of Russia, Turkey, Iran, and the broader Middle East — a small region whose internal conflicts have consistently attracted the attention of great powers. The three states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia each navigate overlapping and often contradictory security relationships with Moscow, Washington, and Brussels, while managing unresolved territorial disputes and competing integration ambitions.
The 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war and Azerbaijan’s September 2023 offensive — which resulted in the ethnic cleansing of the entire Armenian population of Artsakh from Nagorno Karabakh — reshaped the regional order, accelerating Armenia’s pivot away from Russian security structures, deepening Azerbaijan’s strategic confidence, and leaving Georgia’s own geopolitical direction in flux following disputed elections and mass protests. The region has become a live testing ground for the limits of Russian influence, the reach of Western soft power, and the emerging role of powers like Turkey, Iran, India , and China.
Groong covers the South Caucasus comprehensively — not just Armenia’s domestic politics and security situation, but the regional dynamics that define the constraints and opportunities facing every state in the area. Episodes in this category examine bilateral relationships, multilateral formats, infrastructure corridors, and the geopolitical competition that makes the South Caucasus one of the most consequential small regions in Eurasian politics.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with South Caucasus.
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Iran War Update
- IRI Poll Review
- Political Landscape
Episode 521 | Recorded: March 10, 2026
#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict
Hrant Mikaelian - Iran War, Effect on Armenia, Sumgait Pogroms | Ep 520, Mar 1, 2026 [EP520]
Posted on Wednesday, Mar 4, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, USA, Israel, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, China, BRICS, Ukraine, Middle East, Geopolitics, NATO, Syria | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- US and Israel launch war against Iran
- Decapitation strikes, mass civilian casualties
- Iran retaliates region-wide, war expands
- Armenia leadership silent
- Sumgait remembered
Episode 520 | Recorded: March 3, 2026
#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict
Hrant Mikaelian - Iran War, Effect on Armenia, Sumgait Pogroms | Ep 520, Mar 1, 2026 [EP520]
Posted on Wednesday, Mar 4, 2026 | Category: Iran, Armenia, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Iran, USA, Israel, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, China, BRICS, Ukraine, Middle East, Geopolitics, NATO, SyriaGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- US and Israel launch war against Iran
- Decapitation strikes, mass civilian casualties
- Iran retaliates region-wide, war expands
- Armenia leadership silent
- Sumgait remembered
Episode 520 | Recorded: March 3, 2026
#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict
Dziunik Aghajanian - Iran War Fears, June Vote Rules, State-Church Clash | Ep 519, Feb 22, 2026 [EP519]
Posted on Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Israel, Genocide, Armenian Church, Iran, Middle East, NATO, Syria | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Iran War Fears
- June Parliamentary Elections
- Attacks on the Armenian Church
Episode 519 | Recorded: February 25, 2026
#Armenia #Iran #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianChurch #SouthCaucasus
Dziunik Aghajanian - Iran War Fears, June Vote Rules, State-Church Clash | Ep 519, Feb 22, 2026 [EP519]
Posted on Thursday, Feb 26, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Israel, Genocide, Armenian Church, Iran, Middle East, NATO, SyriaGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Iran War Fears
- June Parliamentary Elections
- Attacks on the Armenian Church
Episode 519 | Recorded: February 25, 2026
#Armenia #Iran #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianChurch #SouthCaucasus
Philippe Raffi Kalfayan - Europe and America, JD Vance in Armenia, Pashinyan vs. Church | Ep 516, Feb 8, 2026 [EP516]
Posted on Wednesday, Feb 11, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, USA, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Syria, Armenian Church, European Union, Iran, China, Ukraine, Human Rights, Georgia, Israel, Genocide, Economy, Geopolitics, India, NATO | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- A European View of America
- JD Vance in Armenia
- Pashinyan vs. The Armenian Church
- Europe and Armenia
Episode 516 | Recorded: February 9, 2026
Philippe Raffi Kalfayan - Europe and America, JD Vance in Armenia, Pashinyan vs. Church | Ep 516, Feb 8, 2026 [EP516]
Posted on Wednesday, Feb 11, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, USA, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Syria, Armenian Church, European Union, Iran, China, Ukraine, Human Rights, Georgia, Israel, Genocide, Economy, Geopolitics, India, NATOGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- A European View of America
- JD Vance in Armenia
- Pashinyan vs. The Armenian Church
- Europe and Armenia
Episode 516 | Recorded: February 9, 2026
James Carden & Pietro Shakarian - Global Affairs in the Age of Trump 2.0 | Ep 515, Feb 7, 2026 [EP515]
Posted on Saturday, Feb 7, 2026 | Category: USA, TRIPP, Iran, Armenia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, BRICS, Russia, China, Economy, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, Human Rights, India, Middle East, NATO | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Trump 2.0 and the âDonroe Doctrineâ
- Rules-Based Disorder?
- Iran vs. the âBig, Beautiful Armadaâ
- US Cohesion and Midterms
- JD Vance in the South Caucasus
Episode 515 | Recorded: February 6, 2026
James Carden & Pietro Shakarian - Global Affairs in the Age of Trump 2.0 | Ep 515, Feb 7, 2026 [EP515]
Posted on Saturday, Feb 7, 2026 | Category: USA, TRIPP, Iran, Armenia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, BRICS, Russia, China, Economy, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, Human Rights, India, Middle East, NATOGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Trump 2.0 and the âDonroe Doctrineâ
- Rules-Based Disorder?
- Iran vs. the âBig, Beautiful Armadaâ
- US Cohesion and Midterms
- JD Vance in the South Caucasus
Episode 515 | Recorded: February 6, 2026