Yerevan
Last updated: June 11, 2026
Yerevan is Armenia’s capital and largest city, with a population of approximately 1.1 million in the metropolitan area. Founded in 782 BCE, it is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. Located in the Ararat Valley roughly 44 kilometers west of the Azerbaijan border, Yerevan is home to Republic Square, the Armenian National Museum, Etchmiadzin Cathedral, and numerous universities, theaters, and cultural institutions. The city serves as Armenia’s economic engine, housing the country’s major businesses, media outlets, and educational centers. Key government institutions—the National Assembly (parliament), presidential residence, and government ministries—are located in central Yerevan, making it the seat of state power and the venue where major policy decisions affecting Armenia’s relationship with Azerbaijan , Russia , the United States , Iran , and Turkey are formulated and announced.
Yerevan’s Republic Square remains a symbolic center of Armenian national life, and the surrounding neighborhoods host universities, cultural institutions, and media outlets that shape public discourse on war, peace, and Armenia’s geopolitical alignment.
Yerevan has been the epicenter of Armenia’s major political upheavals since independence in 1991. The so-called Velvet Revolution in 2018 centered on mass protests in Yerevan’s streets against Robert Kocharyan and resulted in Nikol Pashinyan ascending to power. Since then, the city has witnessed successive cycles of protest and state crackdown: street demonstrations against the 2020 ceasefire agreement following the 44-Day War , opposition rallies during Pashinyan’s tenure, and most recently, state pressure on the Armenian Church and arrests of opposition figures ahead of the June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections. Yerevan’s geography and political institutions make it the arena where Armenia’s foreign policy commitments, including negotiations over the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process , commitments to TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity), and Armenia’s shifting relationship with CSTO membership are debated, contested, and implemented.
The city’s role in Armenia’s current geopolitical predicament is direct and unavoidable. Yerevan’s proximity to the Azerbaijani border and its status as Armenia’s sole major urban center mean that security threats, blockade pressure, and territorial demands all converge on decisions made within the capital’s government buildings. During the Iran War beginning in early 2026, Yerevan became a site of intense diplomatic activity as foreign officials visited to signal American intentions regarding the TRIPP corridor, regional alignment, and Armenia’s relationship with Washington. The city’s parliament elected in June 2026 will determine whether Armenia continues Pashinyan’s course of concessions to Azerbaijan and the West, or whether opposition forces can halt further territorial or sovereignty losses. As such, developments in Yerevan invariably reflect and shape the choices available to Armenia as a state caught between Russia , an increasingly assertive Azerbaijan, a destabilized Iran, and a United States pursuing its own strategic interests in the South Caucasus.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Yerevan.
Renewed Hostilities in Artsakh | Ukraine | FM Arabat Mirzoyan in Antalya | Ep #128 - Mar 13, 2022 [EP128]
Posted on Monday, Mar 14, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Syria, Iran, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO | Series: wir
Guest(s):
ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 13, 2022
Topics:
- Renewed Hostilities in Artsakh
- Update on Ukraine
- FM “Arabat” Mirzoyan in Antalya
Guest:
- Dr. Pietro Shakarian
Host:
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
Episode 128 | Recorded: Sunday, March 13, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220313.html
Renewed Hostilities in Artsakh | Ukraine | FM Arabat Mirzoyan in Antalya | Ep #128 - Mar 13, 2022 [EP128]
Posted on Monday, Mar 14, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Artsakh, Syria, Iran, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, NATOGuest(s):
ANN/Groong Week in Review - March 13, 2022
Topics:
- Renewed Hostilities in Artsakh
- Update on Ukraine
- FM “Arabat” Mirzoyan in Antalya
Guest:
- Dr. Pietro Shakarian
Host:
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
Episode 128 | Recorded: Sunday, March 13, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220313.html
The State of Armenia’s Economy - A Conversation with Vache Gabrielyan | Ep #127 - March 10, 2022 [EP127]
Posted on Thursday, Mar 10, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Economy, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Iran, China, Artsakh, Israel, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: cog
The State of Armeniaâs Economy - March 10, 2022
A Conversation with Vache Gabrielyan
Topics:
- 00:00:00 Introduction
- 00:01:25 Risk from the Ukraine War
- 00:37:18 Pandemic, War and Beyond Economy
- 01:01:47 Normalization with Turkey and Corridor Economics
Guest:
Dr. Vache Gabrielyan who is the Dean of the Manoogian Simone College of Business and Economics at the American University of Armenia and specializes in public administration and economics. Since 2008, he has served as Vice-Governor of the Central Bank of Armenia, Minister of Finance, Minister-Chief of the Government Staff, Chief Advisor
Read MoreThe State of Armenia’s Economy - A Conversation with Vache Gabrielyan | Ep #127 - March 10, 2022 [EP127]
Posted on Thursday, Mar 10, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Economy, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Iran, China, Artsakh, Israel, Nagorno KarabakhThe State of Armeniaâs Economy - March 10, 2022
A Conversation with Vache Gabrielyan
Topics:
- 00:00:00 Introduction
- 00:01:25 Risk from the Ukraine War
- 00:37:18 Pandemic, War and Beyond Economy
- 01:01:47 Normalization with Turkey and Corridor Economics
Guest:
Dr. Vache Gabrielyan who is the Dean of the Manoogian Simone College of Business and Economics at the American University of Armenia and specializes in public administration and economics. Since 2008, he has served as Vice-Governor of the Central Bank of Armenia, Minister of Finance, Minister-Chief of the Government Staff, Chief Advisor
Read MoreUkraine | 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 | Series: wir
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
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, NATOGuest(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
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
Roundup on the Ukraine Crisis - February 22, 2022 [EP123]
Posted on Tuesday, Feb 22, 2022 | Category: Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, China, Syria, Nagorno Karabakh, NATO | Series: cog
Roundup on the Ukraine Crisis - February 22, 2022
Topics:
- Why did Putin Recognize Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts as Independent Republics?
- Is Putin Trying to Recreate the USSR?
- Is “The West” a Homogeneous Political Bloc?
- What are the Objectives of the US?
Guest:
- Dr. Pietro Shakarian, who is a Lecturer in History at the American University of Armenia in Yerevan. His research focuses on the history of Soviet Armenia and the Caucasus.
Guest(s):
Hosts:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 123 | Recorded on Friday, February 22, 2022 Show notes: https://groong.org/podcasts/CoG-20220222.html