Podcasts about nagorno karabakh

Nikol Pashinyan's sweeping re-election in Armenia has raised fresh hopes that the border with Turkey could finally reopen after three decades of closure. The Armenian prime minister campaigned on restoring ties with Turkey and Azerbaijan, as well as moving Armenia closer to Europe – but constitutional reform remains a major obstacle. The vote on 7 June gave Nikol Pashinyan a clear victory over the opposition. But his success could prove bittersweet after he fell short of the parliamentary majority needed to change the constitution. Changing the constitution is part of Pashinyan's peace efforts with Azerbaijan, brokered last year by United States President Donald Trump. “This government is committed to passing what the Armenian opposition would refer to as 'the Aliyev referendum',” said Eric Hacopian, a Yerevan-based political consultant. “The problem is, now they have no votes to bring it up because you need to get a two-thirds vote to change the constitution.” Armenia PM Pashinyan wins vote, cementing pro-Western shift Constitutional hurdles On the back of the Washington peace talks, “Armenia and Azerbaijan had an understanding that, after the election in Armenia, there would be certain constitutional amendments”, explained Hikmet Hajiyev, chief foreign policy adviser to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Baku insists Armenia must remove claims to Nagorno-Karabakh from the preamble to its constitution. The two countries have clashed repeatedly over the contested territory. In 2023, Azerbaijan retook the breakaway enclave, causing more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee. “We are looking forward to Armenia completely eliminating elements of its territorial claims,” Hajiyev said. “Then we will not have any stumbling blocks or hurdles on our agenda to move forward.” Constitutional reform is also seen as important for normalising Armenia's ties with Turkey, according to Hajiyev. “It's not directly linked, but indirectly,” he said. “Once the Azerbaijan-Armenia agenda is solved, then Turkey will also act in a synchronised manner, opening the borders and also establishing a closer relationship.” Armenia election: what the vote could mean for Russia, the West and Azerbaijan Border hopes Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993, siding with Azerbaijan after ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence and seized Azerbaijani lands. Efforts to restore ties are now gathering pace, said Zeynep Alemdar, an international relations professor at Dogus University in Istanbul. “They've already declared in May 2026 that the border is going to be opened up, and all the bureaucratic, paperwork-type obstacles are actually being dismantled,” Alemdar said, noting that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is believed to get on well with Pashinyan. Pashinyan's Turkey visit signals new chapter as Ankara eyes Caucasus shift But energy-rich Azerbaijan remains crucial to Ankara, Alemdar said. “Economically, comparing Azerbaijan versus Armenia for Ankara, of course Azerbaijan always wins... Of course Azerbaijan is going to be more influential,” Alemdar said. Erdogan congratulated Pashinyan on his re-election, while the Turkish foreign ministry urged Yerevan in a statement to embrace “bold reforms” – seen by many as a call for constitutional change. Cautious steps Pashinyan's lack of decisive parliamentary support and uncertainty over a possible referendum mean Ankara's role could be important in securing lasting peace, said Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center think tank in Yerevan. “For Turkey this is a slow, gradual process of retaking the initiative with Armenia, away from Azerbaijan,” Giragosian said. “Because in many ways, at every round it's been the Azerbaijan factor that's the key determinant. And according to sources in Ankara, they only have a yellow light of caution from Azerbaijan – it's not a red light, but it's not yet a green light to proceed.” Reopening the Turkish-Armenian border would be welcomed by the European Union and Washington, as Ankara seeks to deepen its ties with both. But with Azerbaijan acting as a major investor and economic lifeline, Turkey is moving cautiously to avoid upsetting its powerful neighbour.

Conversations on Groong - June 10, 2026In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Arthur G. Martirosyan about Armenia's contested 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election and Pashinyan's path to a third term. We discuss whether the vote was free and fair, how state pressure and Western backing shaped the outcome, the razor-thin thresholds that determine parliamentary representation, Pashinyan's post-election crackdown against the Established Opposition, and what a Civil Contract supermajority would mean for Armenia's governance and the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process.Topics:Contested results and thresholdsPashinyan's post-election crackdownWestern backing and interferenceRussia's delayed pressure campaignOpposition choices after the voteGuest: Arthur G. MartirosyanHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 557 | Recorded: June 9, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/557#ArmenianElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #ArmenianOppositionSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

It's war in our time. After flirting with peace for a few miserable hours, the US and Iran are back to what they know best: taking uneven chunks out of each other amidst the world's prime oil pathway. This week, Iran levelled a terminal of Kuwait's airport, and attacked the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. Then there was that mysterious Apache helicopter crash off Hormuz. Now, after the crisp kinetic strikes of the first few weeks – then the tentative tests of strength – the war is entering a new phase.One in which Iran shows that the US will not be able to achieve on the negotiating table what it did not achieve on the battlefield. Meanwhile, it's a thriving Asian tiger, the skyscraper skyline of its capital shows the bustle and optimism of the Rising East. Mobile phones. Electric cars. That's right — North Korea is this year's big economic success story, according to a new piece in the Wall Street Journal. Turns out the Hermit Kingdom is less hermetic these days. North Koreans have made good money providing weapons to Russia in Ukraine, and China has turned on the trade taps. Pyongyang no longer rations electricity to a few hours every day. So what happens when North Korea is no longer a Potemkin village but a Potemkin megalopolis? Meanwhile, lose a war, get voted back in. Three years after the catastrophe in Nagorno-Karabakh, what inspired the Armenian people to re-elect Nikol Pashinyan? Perhaps it was precisely because of how vulnerable the country feels itself to be. The strategy is to buy off and shore up: peace with Azerbaijan, EU candidacy, and normalisation with old enemy Turkey. But how low can you lie in a region that Russia sees as its backyard?Do check out our Substack if you can - https://multipolaritypod.substack.com/

Week in Review - June 7, 2026In this episode of Groong Week in Review, we analyze the disputed results of Armenia's June 7, 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election. We examine Civil Contract's contested majority, alleged irregularities and invalid ballots, the OSCE/ODIHR preliminary report, the last-minute exclusion of Prosperous Armenia, opposition arrests and pressure, and what a three-fifths majority could mean for Armenia's courts, institutions, and foreign policy.Topics:Disputed mandate, unresolved majorityElection-day irregularities in plain sightODIHR's mixed preliminary verdictBribery replaced by state spendingOpposition's next steps uncertainHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 556 | Recorded: Jun 9, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/556Try the Groong Podcast App#ArmenianElections #ArmenianNews #CivilContract #Pashinyan #Election2026 #SouthCaucasusSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Spotlight on Silence - June 6, 2026In this Spotlight on Silence episode, we speak with Rafael Ishkhanyan of the Armenian Center for Political Rights about selective justice and state pressure ahead of the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election. We discuss wiretaps and leaks targeting opposition figures, abuse of hate speech laws against government critics, military service summons used as political coercion, and Pashinyan's threats against political opponents and Artsakh Armenians.Topics:Selective law enforcement before electionsWiretaps, leaks, and campaign pressureHate speech laws against criticsOfficial threats without consequencesMilitary summons as political coercionGuest: Rafael IshkhanyanHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 555 | Recorded: June 4, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/555VIDEO: https://youtu.be/wSZ7eO3JIKQ#Armenia #ArmenianElections #HumanRights #PoliticalPersecution #Artsakh #RafaelIshkhanyan #GroongSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Conversations on Groong - June 4, 2026In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Dr. Philippe Raffi Kalfayan about Armenia's deteriorating democratic conditions ahead of the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election. We discuss IODA's second election observation mission, widespread arrests of opposition figures, state intimidation of voters, selective prosecution, and the serious threats to electoral legitimacy and civil rights under the Civil Contract regime.Topics:Arrests of government criticsState pressure on votersPublic resources used for campaignsSelective prosecution before electionsElection legitimacy under serious doubtGuest: Philippe Raffi KalfayanHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 554 | Recorded: June 3, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/554VIDEO: https://youtu.be/L9vKGO5Ezr4#Armenia #ArmenianElections #Election2026 #IODA #OSCE #ODIHR #Geopolitics #DemocracySubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Week In Review - May 31, 2026In this episode of Groong's Week in Review, hosts Hovik and Asbed examine Armenia's May 28 Independence Day parade as campaign theater, Marco Rubio's push for critical minerals deals, and the strategic risks of TRIPP in Syunik. We discuss how Pashinyan's military parade coincides with Armenian prisoners of war held hostage in Baku, the questionable financing of weapons through $8 billion in external debt, and the broader geopolitical pressures from Russia and Iran as Armenia heads into the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election.Topics:May 28 and StatehoodParade as Campaign TheaterRubio's Armenia AgreementsMinerals Without GuaranteesTRIPP Risks in SyunikRussia and Iran PushbackElection Climate and RepressionHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 553 | Recorded: June 1, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/553VIDEO: https://youtu.be/oO5kbg6B_Q8#Armenia #May28 #MarcoRubio #TRIPP #Syunik #CriticalMinerals #ElectionFraud #RussiaArmeniaSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Conversations on Groong - June 1, 2026In this Conversations on Groong episode, Hovik and Asbed speak with Dr. Sergey Markedonov about the sharp decline in Russia-Armenia relations before Armenia's June parliamentary elections. The discussion explores whether the vote is only a domestic contest, or a broader struggle over Armenia's identity, security, and geopolitical direction after Artsakh. Topics include Pashinyan's "Real Armenia" project, TRIPP and regional balance, Russia's warnings over Armenia's EU pivot, pressure on Armenian exports and energy pricing, the role of the Armenian Church, and whether the EU offers Armenia a real strategic alternative or only short-term political support.Topics:TRIPP and Regional BalanceArmenia's Geopolitical ElectionPashinyan's "Real Armenia"Russia's Economic PressureGuest: Sergey MarkedonovHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 552 | Recorded: May 31, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/552VIDEO: https://youtu.be/5K3xqqYouKs#RussiaArmenia #SergeyMarkedonov #ArmeniaElections #Pashinyan #RealArmenia #TRIPP #EAEU #SouthCaucasusSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Conversations on Groong - May 31, 2026In this episode of Conversations on Groong, we speak with Arthur Khachatryan of the Hayastan Dashinq, Armenia Alliance about the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election scheduled for June 7. We discuss whether free and fair elections are possible given foreign interference from the West, abuse of administrative resources by the ruling Civil Contract party, media control, and competing pressures from the United States, EU, Russia, and regional actors including Turkey and Azerbaijan.Topics:Free and fair electionsPolls and opposition unityHayastan Dashinq platformTRIPP and foreign policyEconomy and Russian pressureGuest: Arthur KhachatryanHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 551 | Recorded: May 30, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/551VIDEO: https://youtu.be/uQn81n-zHcw#ArmeniaElections #ArthurKhachatryan #HayastanDashinq #ArmenianOpposition #Pashinyan #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #GroongSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

In this episode of Peace Matters, we discuss Armenia's upcoming parliamentary elections and the country's changing geopolitical orientation at a time of regional uncertainty.For decades, Armenia was considered one of Russia's closest allies in the post-Soviet space, relying heavily on Moscow for economic cooperation and security guarantees. But the aftermath of the Nagorno-Karabakh war of 2020, growing disappointment with Russia, and increased engagement with the European Union have started to reshape Yerevan's foreign policy priorities.How democratic is Armenia's political system today, and what is at stake in the upcoming elections? Is Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan likely to stay in power, and how are the elections influenced by the unresolved conflict with Azerbaijan? We also examine the growing role of the EU in Armenia, Russia's reaction to Armenia's gradual westward shift, and whether the country can realistically balance relations between Moscow and Brussels.Guests:Christoph Bilban has been researcher in the Institute for Peace Support and Conflict Management at the Austrian National Defence Academy since 2016. Since June 2024 he is co-chair of the Regional Stability in the South Caucasus Study Group of the Partnership for Peace Consortium. His research covers Russian foreign policy and conflicts in the area of the former Soviet Union, with a focus on the conflict in Ukraine and the conflicts in the South Caucasus. He is an officer in the Austrian Armed Forces' active reserve.Hannes Meissner is a Managing Partner at LM-PRISK consultancy firm. His expertise relates to the post-Soviet space – a region that he has travelled extensively due to both business projects and scientific field research. Hannes regularly gives talks on political risk, most recently at the Chinese Economic Summit in Hong Kong, the Astana International Financial Centre, the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael and the University of Cambridge. Hannes holds a PhD in political science from the University of Hamburg. He is also a member of the research group Eastern Europe at the University of Vienna.Moderation:Marylia Hushcha, Researcher and Project Manager at the IIPThe episode was recorded on 18 May 2026.

Week in Review - May 13, 2026In this Week in Review, we discuss the fallout from the EPC summit in Yerevan, Armenia's role as a platform for anti-Russian messaging, and Putin's warning about a possible “separation” if Armenia moves toward the EU. They examine the Armenia-EU declaration, focusing on TRIPP, Ukraine, hybrid threats, security cooperation, visa liberalization, and the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant. The episode then turns to Armenia's election campaign, Pashinyan's claim that Artsakh was “never ours,” Aliyev's parallel messaging from occupied Artsakh, pressure on opposition figures, the Swiss Peace Initiative, and sharp divergence between election polls.Topics:EPC fallout and Russia responseArmenia-EU declaration controversiesPashinyan's Artsakh campaign narrativeAliyev-Pashinyan tag-team messagingSwiss Peace InitiativePollsters diverge on election forecastsHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 545 | Recorded: May 12, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/545VIDEO: https://youtu.be/pLYUk6q9Wx4#WeekInReview #Armenia #SwissPeaceInitiative #NagornoKarabakh #ArtsakhSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Conversations on Groong - May 11, 2026Anna Grigoryan of Hayastan Dashinq (Armenia Alliance) joins Groong to discuss Armenia's June 7 parliamentary election and the start of the official campaign. The conversation examines the EPC and Armenia-EU summits in Yerevan, EU political and financial support for Pashinyan, Aliyev's remote demarche, and opposition protests around Artsakh rights, Armenian prisoners, and democratic backsliding. The episode also covers opposition coalition math, Hayastan Dashinq's 8% bloc threshold, Strong Armenia's lead among opposition forces, possible post-election governing formulas, and the risks of a falsified vote. Grigoryan also discusses Armenia's foreign policy direction, the peace treaty with Azerbaijan, TRIPP and Syunik amid the Iran war, education as a national priority, and Hayastan Dashinq's core message to voters.Topics:Election campaign and opposition strategyEPC, EU-Armenia summit, and foreign influenceForeign policy, security, and regional risksDomestic priorities and election integrityGuest: Anna GrigoryanHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 544 | Recorded: May 9, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/544VIDEO: https://youtu.be/SV2I8iBr9ss#AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #ArmeniaElections #HayastanDashinq #EPCSummit #TRIPP #ArtsakhSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - May 3, 2026This Groong Week in Review examines a volatile week across Armenia and the region. Asbed and Hovik discuss Trump's declared ceasefire with Iran, the failed US-Iran talks in Islamabad, the continuing naval blockade, and the wider political pressure shaping Washington's war posture. The episode also covers “Operation Kochari,” the secret visit of Azerbaijani deputy prime minister Shahin Mustafayev to Armenia, border demarcation, TRIPP, and the political theater around trade with Azerbaijan. The discussion turns to Azerbaijan's destruction of the Stepanakert cathedral, the muted international response, and Pashinyan's comments on the issue. The hosts also analyze the latest MPG poll, opposition coalition math, election fraud concerns, the EPC meeting, legal pressure on the opposition, mass surveillance, and Armenia's falling press freedom ranking.Topics:Iran WarMustafayev in ArmeniaDestruction of the Stepanakert cathedral by AzerbaijanElection politicsHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 539 | Recorded: May 2, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/539VIDEO: https://youtu.be/eIIg1IWYm1w#Armenia #Azerbaijan #IranWar #TRIPP #Artsakh #Stepanakert #ArmenianElections #GroongSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Conversations on Groong - May 3, 2026In this Conversations on Groong episode, Hrair Balian joins us to discuss his book Anatomy of Peacemaking: Nagorno Karabakh Conflict & Missed Opportunities, the failure of diplomacy around Artsakh, and what Armenia should learn from the long collapse of the peace process. The conversation also looks at the Iran war, US and Israeli goals in the region, the TRIPP/Zangezur Corridor and its security impact on Armenia, and the role of outside powers in shaping outcomes in the South Caucasus. The episode closes with a discussion of Armenia's June parliamentary elections, opposition repression, election monitoring, and whether international observers will judge the vote by facts on the ground or political convenience.Mr. Balian's book: https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Peacemaking-Nagorno-Karabakh-Opportunities-Rethinking/dp/3032124891Topics:US-Iran war and failed diplomacyTRIPP and Armenia's security risksKarabakh negotiations and missed chancesPashinyan's Artsakh policy reversalArmenia's June elections and monitoringGuest: Hrair BalianHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 538 | Recorded: April 30, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/538VIDEO: https://youtu.be/5ubpIoBjAI0#HrairBalian #Groong #Armenia #Artsakh #NagornoKarabakh #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #ArmenianElectionsSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Conversations on Groong - Apr 30, 2026In this Conversations on Groong episode, we speak with Arega Hovsepyan of the Strong Armenia party about Armenia's June 2026 parliamentary elections, opposition politics, and the shifting geopolitical landscape in the South Caucasus. The discussion covers recent arrests of Strong Armenia members, political pressure on the opposition, and concerns about democratic processes under Pashinyan. We also examine the situation of displaced Artsakh Armenians, including rights, return, voting access, and living conditions in Armenia. The episode explores competing narratives around “peace” with Azerbaijan, the implications of the Zangezur Corridor or TRIPP project, and how regional dynamics involving Iran, Russia, and Turkey shape Armenia's security and political future. Topics:Strong Armenia and election dynamicsNew arrests and political pressureArtsakh Armenians and their rightsTRIPP corridor and regional securityGuest: Arega HovsepyanHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 537 | Recorded: Apr 28, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/537VIDEO: https://youtu.be/G2lysDT6SSQ#Armenia #Artsakh #StrongArmenia #AregaHovsepyan #ArmenianPolitics #SouthCaucasus #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #GeopoliticsSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - April 26, 2026This Week in Review on Groong examines how the Iran war fallout and the extension of the ceasefire are reshaping Armenia's geopolitical position. We break down the push for the TRIPP or Zangezur Corridor and the claims of Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization, and assess how they tie to regional power dynamics involving Iran, Russia, Turkey, and the United States. The episode also covers Armenia's 2026 elections and rising elite tensions. In addition, we discuss the global commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, contrasting international messaging with domestic narratives and linking it to ongoing debates around Artsakh and historical continuity.Topics:  - TRIPP hinges on Iran war outcome  - Armenian Genocide commemoration  - Peace narrative vs corridor reality  - Parliamentary electionGuest: Arthur G MartirosyanHosts:  - Hovik Manucharyan  - Asbed BedrossianEpisode 536 | Recorded: April 27, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/536VIDEO: https://youtu.be/tu49vlEYJKU#Armenia #IranWar #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #Elections2026 #SouthCaucasus #Geopolitics #GroongSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - April 19, 2026In this Week in Review episode, Ambassador Dziunik Aghajanian discusses the stalled Iran negotiations after the Islamabad talks, the renewed pressure around Hormuz and the naval blockade, Turkey's posture toward Israel and the region; Armenia's lower-profile participation in the Antalya Diplomatic Forum; Russia's shifting rhetoric on TRIPP and the South Caucasus; and the June 7 parliamentary election in Armenia, including constitutional changes, border concessions, the gas pipeline rerouting issue, and the use of surveillance and arrests against opposition figures.TopicsIran War UpdateAntalya Diplomatic ForumArmenian Parliamentary ElectionGuestHrant MikaelianHostsHovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 532 | Recorded: April 20, 2026https://podcasts.groong.org/532Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - April 12, 2026In this episode, we examine a fast-moving regional and political landscape, from the collapse of the US-Iran talks in Islamabad and the threat of a new naval blockade, to Viktor Orban's election loss in Hungary and what it may signal for Armenia and the wider region. We also dig into new polling from Armenia, including public views on security, the Iran war, free speech, voter turnout, and party support ahead of the 2026 elections. Along the way, we look at the Abkhaz railway as a possible alternative trade route, questions around TRIPP and Armenia's growing dependence on Azerbaijan and Turkey, and what the latest numbers may reveal about the strength, weakness, and strategy of Armenia's opposition.Topics: US-Iran Talks in PakistanOrban Loses Hungary ElectionsArmenian Parliamentary ElectionsPolls: MPG, IRI, ARAR, EVNGuest: Hrant MikaelianHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 531 | Recorded: April 14, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/531VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ZzhV5xsXFks#Armenia #IranWar #ArmenianPolitics #HungaryElections #ArmeniaPollsSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - April 5, 2026Topics:Iran War Update2016 April WarAftermath of Pashinyan in MoscowDomestic Politics & ElectionHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 530 | Recorded: April 7, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/530VIDEO: https://youtu.be/QAkX9PiR484#Groong #Armenia #IranWar #Pashinyan #ArmenianNewsSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - March 29, 2026Our guest Anna Karapetyan focused on the widening Iran war and its possible fallout for Armenia, then turned to the narratives shaping Armenia's election season. The discussion examined Pashinyan's claim to have delivered peace, the taboo around speaking about Artsakh and Artsakhtsis' rights, the uncertainty around the TRIPP corridor project, the political use of fear that an opposition victory would bring war, and the security and environmental questions surrounding a proposed AI data center. In the closing segment, the participants reflected on the broader propaganda environment in Armenia and on Formula 1's continued partnership with authoritarian states such as Azerbaijan.TopicsIran war escalation and spilloverPashinyan's Fake “peace” narrativesElections built on fear-mongeringSilencing talk of ArtsakhGuestAnna KarapetyanHostsHovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 528 | Recorded: March 30, 2026https://podcasts.groong.org/528Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - March 22, 2026This Week in Review featured Asbed and Hovik without a guest. We discussed the death of Georgian Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II and the Armenian government's blocking of Catholicos of all Armenians Karekin II from attending the funeral; the latest turn in the Iran war and what it could mean for Armenia and the wider region; Israel's renewed ground operation in southern Lebanon; and Armenia's June elections, including political prisoners, media freedom, Civil Contract's campaign tactics, the opposition field, EU involvement, and Strong Armenia's messaging on TRIPP and security.TopicsKarekin II travel-banned from attending Catholicos Ilia II FuneralIran War updateArmenian June ElectionsHostsHovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 527 | Recorded: March 23, 2026https://podcasts.groong.org/527Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Conversations on Groong - March 22, 2026South Korean travel blogger YoungMin visited Artsakh after Azerbaijan's 2023 ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh, becoming one of the few independent foreign visitors to document conditions on the ground after more than 100,000 Armenians were forced from their ancestral homeland. In this episode, YoungMin discusses what motivated his trip, what he saw in Stepanakert, Askeran, Agdam, and the surrounding areas, how Azerbaijani state narratives try to frame post-war tourism, and what the empty towns, damaged infrastructure, and erased Armenian presence reveal about the aftermath of the 44-Day War and the destruction of Artsakh.Topics:  - YoungMin's journey into post-2023 Artsakh  - Controlled access, guided narratives  - Erasing traces of Armenians  - In Agdam, Askeran, and Stepanakert  - Memory, loss, and the aftermath of ethnic cleansingGuest: YoungMinHosts:  - Hovik Manucharyan  - Asbed BedrossianEpisode 526 | Recorded: March 21, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/526VIDEO: https://youtu.be/j9QYiYFnj68#artsakh  #Armenia #YoungMin #NagornoKarabakh #EthnicCleansingSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

The Iran war is adding impetus to reconciliation efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as the region seeks to position itself as a new trade corridor between Europe and energy-rich central Asia, with the conflict highlighting Europe's energy dependency on the volatile Middle East. Addressing the European Parliament earlier this month, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared that, with the Iranian conflict on its border, efforts would be stepped up to realise a trade route with Azerbaijan.  The United States-brokered TRIPP project, negotiated by United States President Donald Trump last August, is seen as key to reconciling the two countries, after decades of conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.  With both Armenia and Azerbaijan bordering Iran, the conflict is providing a powerful impetus for cooperation. “This war in Iran has fostered much more of a localised regional identity where, despite the wars and the conflicts of the last several decades, Armenia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan are actually banding together,” said Richard Giragosiyan, director of the Regional Studies Center, a think tank based in the Armenian capital, Yerevan. “Now is the one opportunity for consolidating regional connectivity in terms of trade and transport." Life after ruin: Aghdam's fragile rebirth after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 'The Trump Road' Pashinyan and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev signed the TRIPP agreement as part of a peace deal, committing to unimpeded connectivity between mainland Azerbaijan and the exclave of Nakhchivan, via Armenian territory. The new trade route is expected to become part of what is dubbed the “Middle Corridor”, linking energy-rich Central Asian countries to Europe via Turkey. Tehran strongly opposes the initiative, as the corridor offers an alternative to transiting through Iran to Central Asia. However, the Iran war has further curtailed Tehran's diminishing influence in the Caucasus. “We also shouldn't forget the benefits of the Iran war,” said Turkey analyst Atilla Yesilada of the New York-based Global Source Partners consultancy. “They [Ankara] want a weak Iran so that they can expand their footprint in the South Caucasus against Iran.” Yesilada says the fallout from the Iran war underscores the importance of the TRIPP agreement – or, as it's sometimes dubbed in Turkey, the “Trump Road" – which is key to Ankara's economic goals.  “We get the Trump Road because nobody would want to traverse Iran under these conditions,” explains Yesilada, “And you get [a] not immediate but gradual, but permanent, development boost from trade and investment along that route.” US takes lead in Caucasus peace deal as France is pushed aside A new route for Europe The Middle Corridor is seen as an opportunity for Europe to diversify in terms of energy supply from the volatile Middle East. “The most obvious security lesson [from the Iran war] is diversity,” said Tatiana Mitrova, a research fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at New York's Columbia University. "The real jewel is Turkmenistan's gas, the third largest [supply] in terms of the world's resources. I believe that there will be a lot of discussions about the middle corridor both in the region and in Europe.” However, Mitrova remains cautious about the project's viability, saying: "Economically it's not attractive – too many risks and too low margins.” The Caucasus is sandwiched between Russia's war in Ukraine and the Iran conflict, raising questions over how secure any new energy route to Europe would be. These come alongside reservations over the viability of the billions of euros of investment needed, at a time when Europe is seeking to transition away from fossil fuels.  “The problem with the Brussels policy is they don't want to invest in hydrocarbons, they don't invest in gas,” said Farid Shafiyev, chairman of the Baku-based Center of Analysis of International Relations. Frenchman convicted for spying in Azerbaijan, sentenced to ten years Opportunity for peace However, Shafiyev argues that, in addition to providing an alternative energy supply for Europe, there is an opportunity to build on the current momentum for peace.  “There is some hostility remaining... but overall, the feeling [is] we don't want any new war and conflict in the South Caucasus. And indeed, [there is] a sort of window of opportunity to bring this alternative route, including for energy and gas." Interdependency in trade, and with it economic prosperity, is seen as key to strengthening the rapprochement between Armenia, Azerbaijan and their Turkish neighbours. It's a rapprochement that could also be vital to resisting any future threat from Russia, which is seeking to reassert itself in the region. However, such threats of renewed instability could also prove a major obstacle to any large-scale infrastructure investment by Europe.

Groong Week in Review - March 15, 2026Arthur Martirosyan examines the ongoing U.S.–Israel war on Iran and its uncertain trajectory, focusing on escalation risks, strategic objectives, and potential diplomatic offramps. The discussion then turns to regional spillover effects, particularly the risks for Armenia amid Iran–Azerbaijan tensions and broader geopolitical shifts. We conclude with an analysis of Armenia's upcoming parliamentary elections, including the fragmented opposition landscape, concerns about electoral fairness, and contradictions in public opinion reflected in recent polling.TopicsIran WarEffect on ArmeniaJune Parliamentary ElectionsGuestArthur G MartirosyanHostsHovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 522 | Recorded: March 16, 2026https://podcasts.groong.org/522Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - March 1, 2026TopicsUS and Israel launch war against IranDecapitation strikes, mass civilian casualtiesIran retaliates region-wide, war expandsArmenia leadership silentSumgait rememberedGuestHrant MikaelianHostsHovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 520 | Recorded: March 2, 2026#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflictSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - February 22, 2026Topics:Iran War FearsJune Parliamentary ElectionsAttacks on the Armenian ChurchGuest: Dziunik AghajanianHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 519 | Recorded: February 25, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/519VIDEO: https://youtu.be/1FFkLOeY2lI#Armenia #Iran #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianChurch #SouthCaucasusSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Three decades after war reduced the city of Aghdam to ruins, deminers and returning residents are laying the groundwork for its revival. The destruction of the city of Aghdam in the contested enclave of Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh is among the most visible signs of the decades-long conflict between Azerbaijanis and ethnic Armenians. Now efforts are underway to bring the city back to life. A loud explosion breaks the winter silence as the latest disposal of collected mines takes place. ‘We've cleared three hundred thousand square meters and found more than ten thousand landmines,” proudly declares Elnur Gasimov, head of mine clearance operations in Aghdam. The dangerous work, done in freezing weather, carries significant risk. Gasimov's right hand is missing several fingers. “We have more than 10 deminers who have lost their legs, and we lost two deminers during the explosive disposal,” Gasimov told RFI. He explains that, with Aghdam once close to the frontline in fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, the area was among the heaviest mined during the conflict. Azerbaijan lifts Armenia border restrictions, but hurdles to peace remain Clearing the mines Nagorno-Karabakh was historically home to a predominantly ethnic Armenian population. In 1993, they broke away from Azerbaijan, declaring a breakaway Republic of Artsakh. But in 2023, during a lightning war, Azerbaijani forces recaptured the region. With access to Aghdam still tightly controlled since the end of the fighting, RFI joined a small group of journalists on a trip organised by the Azerbaijani authorities. The city of Aghdam was once home to 40,000 people, predominantly Azerbaijani. Long a cultural centre of the region, the city was also home to Azerbaijan's most famous football club – Qarabag – which now plays out of the capital, Baku. Today, not a single house remains standing – all were razed to the ground, and even the trees didn't escape the conflict. It's a barren wasteland. The historical Juma mosque was one of the few buildings that survived, partially intact, and was used as a shelter for farm animals by ethnic Armenians. Imam Mehman Nesirov, 45, is the proud custodian of the fully restored mosque, where up to 100 worshippers now attend Friday prayers as life slowly returns to the city. Nesirov fled Aghdam in 1993 as a child: “We were forced to leave because of the sound of fighting, which was getting closer and closer. Everyone was terrified and panicked." Nesirov explained to RFI that he and his family spent the first years of their lives living in a railway wagon. “I will never forget those years. We always prayed to God that one day we could return and pray at this mosque,” said Nesirov. “We can't put into words how we feel that dream we had as a child, a teenager, and an adult is finally realised.” Azerbaijan must allow 'safe' return to Nagorno-Karabakh: UN court Returns and ruptures Around a thousand people have returned to Aghdam, all housed in new state-built accommodation, as the city itself remains uninhabitable. While Azerbaijanis are slowly returning, ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh have now become refugees following the victory of Azeri forces in 2023. “What we saw within 24 hours was the forced expulsion of the remaining 110,000 Armenians from their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh,” said Richard Giragosiyan, director of the Regional Studies Center, a Yerevan think tank. “They were leaving behind whole homes, personal possessions, family graves, and coming to Armenia, which was more of a foreign country than many people understand,” added Giragosiyan. However, Giragosiyan claims that Azerbaijan's forces' success in Nagorno-Karabakh opened the door to a “diplomatic breakthrough,” with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan committing themselves to improving relations in the aftermath of the conflict. Baku in January opened its border to allow oil and grain from Kazakhstan to reach Armenia, which is important for Yerevan as it tries to rely less on Russia and move closer to Europe. In Aghdam's newest hotel, manager Aykhan Jabbarov welcomes rapprochement efforts between Yerevan and Baku.   Jabbarov, a veteran of the last Nagorno-Karabakh war whose family fled Aghdam thirty years ago, looks forward to a time when Azerbaijanis and Armenians can again live together in the city. “If we look to history, we lived together before now, every leader talks about peace … We have to build a good relationship. It will help both countries' economy, people's social life and the regional economy, everything.” However, diplomatic efforts to restore relations and normalise Armenian-Azerbaijani ties still have plenty of work ahead. With repercussions of the past never far away, Ruben Vardanyan, a leading member of the breakaway Armenian administration captured by Azeri forces, was convicted this week of war crimes and sentenced to 20 years in jail by an Azerbaijani court.

A UK by-election that could spell trouble for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a wrap-up of the Munich Security Conference, a look at the Berlinale and whether it's still political, and France's last newspaper hawker. Then: efforts to rebuild Aghdam, US trans people seeking asylum in the Netherlands, and a pagan tradition seeing a revival — wassailing. + film.macht.kritisch https://shorturl.at/OTkz1 +?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

In this episode of Talk Eastern Europe, Nina and Alexandra run through the week's key stories, from renewed diplomatic manoeuvring around Russia's war in Ukraine (and fresh EU support for Kyiv) to political turbulence in Bosnia and Hungary and concerns over media independence in Europe. The second half features an interview with political scientist and NEE contributing editor Tatevik Hovhannisyan on Armenia's upcoming June elections, the post–Nagorno-Karabakh political landscape, and Yerevan's tricky balancing act between Russia, the EU and the US. The hosts also share details on an upcoming Patreon-onlyfilm screening and discussion connected to Srebrenica. Want to learn more – join us on patreon: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeFurther reading:“For Armenia, peace dividends are finally starting to show up. In 2026, they need to keep coming” by Nicholas Castillo. New Eastern Europe 10 Feb 2026: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2026/02/10/for-armenia-peace-dividends-are-finally-starting-to-show-up-in-2026-they-need-to-keep-coming/

Groong Week in Review - February 8, 2026TopicsA European View of AmericaJD Vance in ArmeniaPashinyan vs. The Armenian ChurchEurope and ArmeniaGuestPhilippe Raffi KalfayanHostsHovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 516 | Recorded: February 9, 2026https://podcasts.groong.org/516Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - February 1, 2026Topics:  - Iran Conflict  - Varchaband  - War on Armenian Church  - Mehmet Oz vs Armenian Americans  - Narek Karapetyan and Strong Armenia  - A Big Beautiful NoragyughHosts:  - Hovik Manucharyan  - Asbed BedrossianEpisode 512 | Recorded: February 2, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/512VIDEO: https://youtu.be/XRHCT_8XE84#IranIsraelWar #TrumpArmada #ArmenianChurch #Pashinyan #ArmenianDiasporaSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Conversations on Groong - February 4, 2026Topics:CSI Visits Jailed ClericIRF SummitPACE MP Speaks UpGuest: Joel VeldkampHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 513 | Recorded: February 3, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/513VIDEO: https://youtu.be/gi1yk302jts#ArmenianChurch #ReligiousFreedom #ClergyArrests #IRFSummit2026 #ChristianSolidarityInternationalSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - January 25, 2026Topics:Memorial Day vs. Army DayJD Vance to Armenia and AzerbaijanArmenian Church DevelopmentsStrong Armenia - New Political PartyGuest: Arthur KhachatryanHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 510 | Recorded: January 27, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/510VIDEO: https://youtu.be/czqx5UCdFA0#GroongWeekInReview #Armenia #RulesBasedOrder #JDVance #TRIPP #ArmenianChurchSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - January 18, 2026Topics:Syria, Kurds, Turkish advanceIran unrest, war postponedTRIPP and sovereignty dispute2026 elections, foreign influenceGuest: Sergei MelkonianHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 508 | Recorded: January 19, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/508VIDEO: https://youtu.be/LDI5e7Tcu8k#ArmenianNews #Syria #Iran #ZangezurCorridor #TRIPP #GeopoliticsSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Conversations on Groong - January 17, 2026Topics:Return of Four HostagesPashinyan vs. ChurchTRIPPArmenia Parliamentary ElectionGuestAnna GrigoryanHostsHovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 507 | Recorded: January 16, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/507VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/b-qrlL7z6UY #AnnaGrigoryan #Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #TRIPP #ArmenianChurch #POWsSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - January 11, 2026TopicsUkraine war's global cost to RussiaIran unrest and war riskRemembering the Baku pogromsRussia-Armenia tensions and media threatsPashinyan's clash with Armenian ChurchGuestArthur MartirosyanHostsHovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 505 | Recorded: January 13, 2026https://podcasts.groong.org/505Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - January 4, 2026Topics:Developments in VenezuelaAttacks on Armenian Church ContinueNew MPG Poll ResultsArmenian Economy in 2025 (Jan-Oct)Guest: Hrant MikaelianHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 501 | Recorded: January 6, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/501VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ACfF9ryiswESubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - Dec 28, 2025In this milestone 500th episode of *Groong Week in Review*, we assess how major external crises are shaping Armenia's strategic environment in 2025, examine the stalled Armenia–Azerbaijan process, analyze Russia's posture around TRIPP, and discuss the implications of a change in the U.S. ambassador. The episode concludes with an extended year-end review, where each participant evaluates their 2025 predictions from a year ago (in Episode 403), and presents high-, medium-, and low-probability forecasts for 2026.TopicsForeign Crises Affecting ArmeniaArmenia-Azerbaijan SagaRussia and TRIPPChange of US AmbassadorYear-End Review & OutlookGuestBenyamin PoghosyanHostsHovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 500 | Recorded: January 31, 2025https://podcasts.groong.org/500Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

The Critical Corner - Recorded on: December 27, 2025In this episode, guest host Bedros Afeyan speaks with documentary filmmaker Diana Mkrtchyan about her feature documentary *Ojakh: On the Other Side of Silence*. The conversation traces the film's nine-year development, its origins in Turkish photographer Erhan Arik's *Horovel* project, and the urgent effort to document the last living Armenian Genocide survivors in border villages. The discussion also addresses artistic responsibility, dignity in testimony, cultural memory, censorship, and the continuity between Genocide-era trauma and the recent destruction of Artsakh.TopicsDiana Mkrtchyan's personal and artistic journeyThe origins of *Ojakh* in Erhan Arik's photographic workFilming the final testimonies of Armenian Genocide survivorsEthical and technical challenges of documenting traumaThe erasure of *Ojakh* from official cultural promotion in ArmeniaCinema as historical record and moral witnessMkrtchyan's Artsakh footage during the blockadeGuestDiana MkrtchyanGuest HostsBedros AfeyanEpisode 499 | Recorded: December 27, 2025https://podcasts.groong.org/499Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Groong Week in Review - December 21, 2025Topics:Ukraine War and EU RiftSiege on Etchmiadzin and the ChurchPeace Dividend or Political TheaterTRIPP and Competing Power ClaimsGuest: Dziunik AghajanianHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 498 | Recorded: December 23, 2025SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/498VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Ui21tqO_d2U#ArmenianChurch #Etchmiadzin #TRIPP #ArmeniaPolitics #GroongSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

In this episode of War & Peace, Olga Oliker and Alissa de Carbonnel are joined by Joshua Kucera, Crisis Group's Senior Analyst for the South Caucasus, to discuss the increasingly difficult situation facing people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia after Azerbaijan regained control of the territory in a rapid 2023 offensive. They unpack the refugees' mounting challenges–from insecure housing after cuts to government assistance to discrimination–and their growing frustration with Armenia's government. They also examine the role refugees from Karabakh might play in Armenia's 2026 elections and peace efforts with Azerbaijan, their hopes of return, and what the EU can do to help Yerevan respond.For more, check out our Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict and Europe & Central Asia pages. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In EVN Report's news roundup for the week of December 12: Armenia and Germany sign joint declaration on a new Strategic Agenda for bilateral partnership; Yerevan and Baku begin talks on potential export of Azerbaijani fuel to Armenia; Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan proposes a joint roadmap with Azerbaijan to close two issues: the return of Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh and Baku's so-called “Western Azerbaijan” narrative and more.

Groong Week in Review - December 7, 2025Topics1988 Earthquake RememberedPashinyan's War on the Armenian ChurchEU-Armenia RelationsNagorno-Karabakh Negotiation DocumentsARAR Foundation PollGuestBenyamin PoghosyanHostsHovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 494 | Recorded: December 8, 2025https://podcasts.groong.org/494Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

Something is rotten in the state of Armenia. Many know aboutthe Armenian Genocide from the early 20th Century. Few realize that the same threats continue to loom over Armenian Christians still. In recent years, Azerbaijan ethnically cleansed over 100,000 Armenians from their ethnic homeland in Nagorno-Karabakh. Is there a pattern between these actions from the last century and today?And why are there several Armenian archbishops sitting injail right now – in Armenia? Would the Armenian government really attack the Armenian Christian Church? Joining Andy to address these and other issues is Joel Veldkamp. Joel serves with Christian Solidarity International (CSI) and provides shocking insights into the sobering situation in Armenia. If you find this episode helpful, please give us a positiverating and review wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Also share this episode with a friend so they too can be blessed by these insights.To learn more about resources mentioned in this episode, seethe following:Christian Solidarity International (CSI) Website : https://csi-usa.org/ Link for sending a letter on behalf of Suleiman Khalil: https://www.csi-int.org/campaigns/suleiman-khalil/In Days of Darkness: A Manual for Ordinary Christians FacingUnusual Times, by Andy Coleman (Book):https://www.amazon.com/Days-Darkness-Ordinary-Christians-Unusual/dp/1636985734 Christian Emergency Alliance (Website):https://www.christianemergency.com/Christian Emergency Alliance (Twitter / X):https://x.com/ChristianEmerg1Christian Emergency Alliance (Facebook):https://www.facebook.com/christianemergencyChristian Emergency Alliance (Instagram):https://www.instagram.com/christianemergencyalliance/The Christian Emergency Podcast is a production of theChristian Emergency Alliance.Soli Deo Gloria

In EVN Report's news roundup for the week of December 5: Armenia and the EU adopt a new Strategic Agenda; Church–state tensions continue to escalate as ten bishops call for the Catholicos' resignation; Government releases key OSCE Minsk Group documents from past Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations and more.

Artsakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, is a historic Armenian area located in the Caucasus Mountains. In 2023, Azerbaijan invaded and ethnically cleansed the millennial-old Armenian population. The so-called civilized West looked the other way. Looking away has been harder to do in Gaza because of the enormity of the Israeli attack and the sheer scale of death and destruction. The Israeli goal in Gaza and the Azerbaijani goal in Artsakh is cultural and physical erasure. Both Artsakh and Gaza are reported as though they are just happening in a vacuum. By not providing context and background, journalists are guilty of media malpractice. The recording was taken from a National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR)/ Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Lecture Series on Contemporary Armenian Issues webinar, co-hosted and co-moderated by Marc A. Mamigonian, Director of Academic Affairs at NAASR, and Henry Theriault, PhD, Associate Provost at Worcester State University.

Groong Week in Review - November 30, 2025TopicsOSCE MG DissolvedLibaridian on Submitting to Turkey and AzerbaijanNew Constitution to be Drafted by March 2026Archbishops, Letters, Attacks on the ChurchBorder Commissions Meet in BakuComments from Jacob PursleyGuestArthur KhachikyanHostsHovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 493 | Recorded: December 2, 2025https://podcasts.groong.org/493Subscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

It's Friday, November 21st, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Christian ethnic cleansing survivors given new homes in Armenia Several families displaced by ethnic cleansing in their ancient Christian homeland more than two years ago were given new homes and plots of land on Tuesday through a charitable initiative seeking to help revitalize a rural Armenian mountain village, reports the Christian Post. Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice.” The Tufenkian Foundation has cut the ribbon on a pilot refugee village in Svarants, completing the first 10 of 20 new homes in the upper reaches of Armenia's mountainous Tatev Municipality, which borders Iran and Azerbaijan. The new homes, which come with adjoining plots of land and a barn, were built specifically to help families rebuild their lives around the agricultural and livestock work they were doing before Azerbaijan's 2023 invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh. It's a predominantly Armenian region known affectionately to Armenians as the Republic of Artsakh. After a months-long military blockade, more than 120,000 ethnic Artsakh Armenians were forced from their homes in September 2023, and most have lived for two years throughout Armenia with what Artsakh leaders say has been inadequate social integration.  Judge orders Trump to end National Guard deployment in DC On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, a Biden appointee, ordered the Trump administration to end its monthslong deployment of National Guard troops to help police the nation's capital, reports the Associated Press. She asserted that President Donald Trump's military takeover in Washington, D.C., illegally intrudes on local officials' authority to direct law enforcement in the district. Trump had said the troops were needed to deal with rampant crime and violence in Washington and support federal immigration law enforcement efforts there. Pope Leo met with Illinois' pro-abortion, pro-perversion governor The stream of liberal clergy and scandalous public figures who are given audiences with Pope Leo XIV seemingly never comes to an end. Now comes news that pro-abortion Democratic Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker spoke with Leo for 40 minutes at the Vatican during a private meeting on Wednesday, reports LifeSiteNews.com. In the past, Pritzker has designated Illinois a “sanctuary state” for women seeking abortions, expanded access to chemical abortion pills, and approved policies sexual perversion activists have long desired. To top it off, Pritzker may sign a bill that would legalize physician-assisted suicide. According to Proverbs 6:17, one of seven things that God hates is “hands that shed innocent blood.” A Pritzker spokesman said that the audience with Leo was arranged by pro-homosexual Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, a man with whom he has had a long friendship. Neither Trump nor Vance not invited to Dick Cheney's funeral Political figures from across the aisle gathered Thursday in Washington, DC, for the funeral of former Vice President Dick Cheney — a key figure of pre-MAGA Republican politics, reports CBS News. The funeral, which was attended by two former presidents and all living former vice presidents, was a bipartisan who's who of Washington dignitaries yet with the notable absence of two of the country's current leaders. Neither President Donald Trump nor Vice President J.D. Vance were invited to the funeral. Cheney received full military honors at the invitation-only memorial service at Washington's National Cathedral. Attendees included former Presidents Joe Biden and George W. Bush, former First Ladies Jill Biden and Laura Bush, as well as former Vice Presidents Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Al Gore, and Dan Quayle. George W. Bush: Dick Cheney was a serious man Former President George W. Bush eulogized Dick Cheney, his former vice president, as a consummate public servant who could be relied on, and who “lifted the standards” of those around him. BUSH: “In a profession that attracts talkers, Dick Cheney was a thinker and a listener. And when he did speak up, conveying thoughts in that even tone of voice, that orderly, unexcitable manner, you knew you were getting the best of a highly disciplined mind. “No colleague, no legislator, no foreign leader who ever met Dick Cheney ever doubted that they were dealing with a serious man.” Cheney, who served as Bush's vice president from 2001 to 2009, died on November 3 at the age of 84. Prior to being elected vice president, Cheney served as defense secretary, White House chief of staff, and as a congressman representing Wyoming. Texas Governor slams judge who blocked redistricting map Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott slammed the El Paso federal judge, a 2019 Trump nominee, who once worked for Abbott, for authoring the decision that blocked the state's congressional redistricting map that President Donald Trump wanted ahead of next year's elections, reports the San Antonio Express-News. ​In an appearance on Fox News, Abbott said a previous redistricting decision by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey Brown, who worked for Abbott when he was a Texas Supreme Court justice in the 1990s, was overturned last year. ABBOTT: “Judge Brown, who wrote that opinion, he was just reversed last year in a different redistricting decision. He was wrong last year. He's wrong this year. I have never seen an opinion so erroneous in its writing. That's something that the United States Supreme Court, I think, is just not going to tolerate.” ​Abbott said he is “confident” that the U.S. Supreme Court will side with Texas and allow the new map, which gives Republicans five more winnable seats, to be used in the 2026 midterm elections. The case has major ramifications for control of the U.S. House during the final two years of Trump's presidency. Republicans currently hold a five-seat majority in the U.S. House. If Democrats retake control of the chamber, they would have the power to stop all major legislation Trump wants passed and would be able to hold hearings to investigate the administration's policy decisions and actions. British shoe cobbler victorious in David vs. Goliath battle And finally, a British shoe cobbler in Gloucestershire, England, named Alan Macdonald, has been happily repairing shoes for thirty years at Macdonald Traditional Cobbler. MACDONALD: “Well, my father was a cobbler and my grandfather was a cobbler. So, I've been around probably since I was about five. I think my father had me doing work.” Recently, a corporate shoe repair chain wanted to open a location right across the street. Local citizens signed a petition to protect Alan McDonald, reports GoodNewsNetwork.org. The petition to reject the corporate newcomer collected 1,000 signatures from people in the area through social media, including the local Parliament member. MACDONALD: “You know, I hadn't expected this swell of support that's happened as a result of this application. I mean, I just was not expecting that.” A United Kingdom grocery chain Tesco had submitted a planning application together with another chain called Timpson, to open a new location of one of their bizarre service centers that offered combinations of dry cleaning, watch repair, key duplication, photo printing, engraving, portraiture, and shoe repair. To Macdonald's delight, when the corporate application for its new location was due to be discussed at a parish council meeting, Tesco confirmed it would not be moving forward.  However, it failed to specify whether or not the petition drive led to their decision. MACDONALD: “It was quite a worry to be honest. You know, I don't make a massive amount of money. I mean, only a small amount taken away from the income that I make here would make it very difficult to survive, to be honest.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, November 21st, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Conflict Resolution Beyond the International Relations Paradigm: Evolving Designs as a Transformative Practice in Nagorno-Karabakh and Syria (Ibidem Press, 2017) holds the promise of freeing approaches and policies with regard to politics of identity from the fatalistic grip of realism. While the conceptual literature on identity and conflicts has moved in this alternative direction, conflict resolution practice continues to rely on realist frames and acts as an unwanted auxiliary to traditional International Relations (IR). Perpetuation of conflict discourses, marginalization, and exclusion of affected populations are widespread. They are caused by the over-reliance of conflict resolution practice on the binary frames of classic IR paradigms and also by the competitive and hierarchical relationships within the field itself. Philip Gamaghelyan relies on participatory action research (PAR) and collective auto-ethnography to expose patterns of exclusion and marginalization as well as the paradoxical reproduction of conflict-promoting frames in current conflict-resolution practice applied to the Nagorno-Karabakh and Syrian crises. He builds on the work of post-modernist scholars, on reflective practice, and on discourse analysis to explore alternative and inclusive strategies with a transformative potential through reflections and actions customary for PAR. The IR discipline, that has dominated policy-making, is only one possible lens, and often a deficient one, for defining, preventing, or resolving contemporary conflicts wrapped in identity politics. Other conceptual frameworks can help to rethink our understanding of identity and conflicts and reconstruct them as performative and not static phenomena. These transformative frameworks are increasingly influential in the conflict resolution field and can be applied to policy-making. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Philip Gamaghelyan is an Associate Professor at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego. He has served as Director of the Master's Program in Conflict Management and Resolution, the Graduate Certificate in Mediation, and the Security Studies concentration. His teaching spans conflict analysis and resolution, mediation, media and conflict, nationalism and conflict, and intervention design, among other areas. Dr. Gamaghelyan is a conflict resolution scholar-practitioner and co-founder of the Imagine Center for Conflict Transformation, where he also serves on the Board of Directors. He is the Managing Editor of Caucasus Edition: Journal of Conflict Transformation (www.caucasusedition.net). His practical and research experience extends across the post-Soviet states of Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, as well as Turkey, Syria, and other conflict-affected regions, where he has worked with policymakers, journalists, educators, and civil society leaders. His current research focuses on the critical re-evaluation and redesign of conflict resolution interventions in the 21st century, as well as on shaping the future of peace studies and peace practice. Areas of Expertise: Structural and symbolic violence, Ethnically-framed conflicts, Methodological innovations and intervention design in conflict resolution practice, Discourse analysis, Action research, Conflicts in Russia and Erurasia Coming Up Soon - Recently, Professor Philip Gamaghelyan was featured on BBC Audio discussing the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks that were held at the White House. In the coming days, this academic and grassroots organizer associated with the School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego will join our PodCast to discuss his incredible publication titled Conflict Resolution Beyond the International Relations Paradigm. Evolving Designs as a Transformative Practice in Nagorno-Karabakh and Syria (2017). His expertise spans conflict analysis and resolution, mediation, media and conflict, nationalism and conflict, and intervention design, among other areas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In the ancient Yererouk Basilica in Armenia, near the border with Turkey, young engineers are using 3D digital technology to scan every part of the building. The aim is to recreate the church on a screen, in full-colour and in three dimensions. This is the digital preservation initiative, created by TUMO, the Center for Creative Technologies, based in Armenia's capital Yerevan. It is training young Armenians to use new technology and also to connect them to their their 2000-year-old Armenian Christian heritage. In 2023, the country lost control of numerous important religious sites, when the province of Nagorno-Karabakh was taken over by neighbouring Muslim Azerbaijan. The mountainous enclave, known as Artsakh to Armenians, has long been a disputed territory between the two countries. Despite the new peace agreement signed recently, the province is still closed to Armenians. International observers using satellite technology say dozens of important Christian sites have been damaged or destroyed. Julia Paul travels to Armenia to find out how drones and lasers are helping young Armenians to connect to and preserve their ancient Christian heritage. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.