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.
Armen Ashotyan - Opposition Talks | Ep 44, Jan 19, 2021 [EP44]
Posted on Tuesday, Jan 19, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Azerbaijan, Russia, China, European Union, Genocide, Geopolitics, Turkey
Groong Links:
Guest:
- Armen Ashotyan , MP, VP Republican Party of Armenia (HHK)
Topics:
- What took place in 2018?
- Why did RPA support Vazgen Manukyan as PM candidate?
- Nov. 9/10 ceasefire agreement & Jan 11 statement
- Is the RPA truly serious about removing Pashinyan? Why hasnât the opposition mobilized more people onto the streets?
- Lessons learned from Dec. 2018 elections.
Episode 44 | Recorded on January 17, 2021
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 Pashinyanâs trip to Moscow
- What is Azerbaijanâs geo-political situation after the war?
- Domestic politics in Baku
- Azerbaijanâs 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
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 KarabakhGuest(s):
ANN/Groong Week in Review - Jan 17, 2021
Topics Covered:
- Outcomes from Nikol Pashinyanâs trip to Moscow
- What is Azerbaijanâs geo-political situation after the war?
- Domestic politics in Baku
- Azerbaijanâs 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
Conversation with My Step's Maria Karapetyan (Ep #39) - 01/08/2021 [EP39]
Posted on Friday, Jan 8, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Azerbaijan, China, Human Rights, Israel, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: cog
Guest(s):
Conversation with My Step’s Maria Karapetyan - 01/08/2021
As protesters in the streets of Yerevan continue demanding the resignation of PM Nikol Pashinyan in the aftermath of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, the ruling My Step faction seems to be firmly on the side of the prime minister.
In the last week or so here at Groong we hosted representatives of various opposition parties and today we will host a representative from the ruling My Step faction to talk about the ongoing political crisis in Armenia.
Today weâre joined by:
Maria Karapetyan, who is a member
Read MoreConversation with My Step's Maria Karapetyan (Ep #39) - 01/08/2021 [EP39]
Posted on Friday, Jan 8, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Azerbaijan, China, Human Rights, Israel, Nagorno KarabakhGuest(s):
Conversation with My Step’s Maria Karapetyan - 01/08/2021
As protesters in the streets of Yerevan continue demanding the resignation of PM Nikol Pashinyan in the aftermath of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, the ruling My Step faction seems to be firmly on the side of the prime minister.
In the last week or so here at Groong we hosted representatives of various opposition parties and today we will host a representative from the ruling My Step faction to talk about the ongoing political crisis in Armenia.
Today weâre joined by:
Maria Karapetyan, who is a member
Read MoreArtsakh War: Security situation | Diplomatic activity | Humanitarian impact (Ep. 21) [EP21]
Posted on Tuesday, Oct 13, 2020 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Russia, Human Rights, Genocide, Syria | Series: wir
Guest(s):
ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 12, 2020
Topics Covered:
- Security situation on the ground;
- Diplomatic activity, short & long term goals;
- Humanitarian impact in Artsakh & Armenia;
- Effect of social media on the war.
Your Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian
- Asbed Kotchikian
Resident Panelists:
- Lara Aharonian: Co-founder & co-director of the Women’s Resource Center NGO in Yerevan
- Robert Avetisyan: Representative of Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the US
Episode 21 Recorded: Oct 12, 2020 Full details: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201012.html Playlist: WiR (Week in Review)
Artsakh War: Security situation | Diplomatic activity | Humanitarian impact (Ep. 21) [EP21]
Posted on Tuesday, Oct 13, 2020 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Russia, Human Rights, Genocide, SyriaGuest(s):
ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 12, 2020
Topics Covered:
- Security situation on the ground;
- Diplomatic activity, short & long term goals;
- Humanitarian impact in Artsakh & Armenia;
- Effect of social media on the war.
Your Hosts:
- Asbed Bedrossian
- Asbed Kotchikian
Resident Panelists:
- Lara Aharonian: Co-founder & co-director of the Women’s Resource Center NGO in Yerevan
- Robert Avetisyan: Representative of Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the US
Episode 21 Recorded: Oct 12, 2020 Full details: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20201012.html Playlist: WiR (Week in Review)
Stepanakert Cluster Bombed | Turkey's Role | Russia Quiet | What's Next? | Ep. 20 - Oct 4, 2020 [EP20]
Posted on Monday, Oct 5, 2020 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Iran, Syria, Geopolitics | Series: wir
ANN/Groong Week in Review - October 4, 2020
Topics:
- Stepanakert under persistent bombardment using banned cluster bombs.
- Turkeyâs role in the war.
- Why is Russia quiet?
- What can we expect next?
Guests:
Episode 20 | Recorded: Oct 3, 2020
Stepanakert Cluster Bombed | Turkey's Role | Russia Quiet | What's Next? | Ep. 20 - Oct 4, 2020 [EP20]
Posted on Monday, Oct 5, 2020 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Iran, Syria, GeopoliticsANN/Groong Week in Review - October 4, 2020
Topics:
- Stepanakert under persistent bombardment using banned cluster bombs.
- Turkeyâs role in the war.
- Why is Russia quiet?
- What can we expect next?
Guests:
Episode 20 | Recorded: Oct 3, 2020