<![CDATA[Armenian News Network / Groong]]>https://substack.groong.orghttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!npmQ!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F88493460-5f30-4b2d-b527-8e5171aa71a2_400x400.pngArmenian News Network / Groonghttps://substack.groong.orgSubstackFri, 24 Apr 2026 07:47:47 GMT<![CDATA[Warwick Powell - Thermoeconomics, Iran, and the New Geopolitical Economy | Ep 533, Apr 23, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/warwick-powell-thermoeconomics-iranhttps://substack.groong.org/p/warwick-powell-thermoeconomics-iranThu, 23 Apr 2026 19:01:03 GMTProf. Warwick Powell discusses his thermoeconomic view of world politics, where energy, money, and information form a single system. We connect the war on Iran to declining U.S. energy efficiency, the limits of airpower, de-dollarization, and the rise of alternative financial and information architectures. We also bring the conversation back to Armenia, asking what TRIPP, SMRs, and large AI data centers could mean for a small state trying to protect its energy and information sovereignty. We close by reflecting on considerations for Armenia in implementing centralized data infrastructure, more distributed computing, and focusing on larger nuclear power plants to generate the electricity needed for such information infrastructures.

Warwick Powell’s Book: Thermoeconomics in a Time of Monsters: Rethinking Theory, China and International Geopolitical Economy

Topics

  • ThermoEconomics and global power

  • Iran war and energy

  • De-dollarization and sovereignty

  • Armenia: AI data centers, SMRs, and imperialism

Guest

Hosts

Episode 533 | Recorded: April 21, 2026

SHOW NOTES:https://podcasts.groong.org/533

]]><![CDATA[Dziunik Aghajanian - Iran War, Antalya Diplomatic Forum, Armenian Parliamentary Elections | Ep 532, Apr 19, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/dziunik-aghajanian-iran-war-antalyahttps://substack.groong.org/p/dziunik-aghajanian-iran-war-antalyaTue, 21 Apr 2026 18:00:57 GMTIn 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.

Guest

Hosts

Episode 532 | Recorded: April 20, 2026

https://podcasts.groong.org/532

]]><![CDATA[Hrant Mikaelian - US-Iran Talks, Orban Loses, Armenia, Polls | Ep 531, Apr 12, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/hrant-mikaelian-us-iran-talks-orbanhttps://substack.groong.org/p/hrant-mikaelian-us-iran-talks-orbanThu, 16 Apr 2026 01:01:16 GMTIn 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 Pakistan

  • Orban Loses Hungary Elections

  • Armenian Parliamentary Elections

  • Polls: MPG, IRI, ARAR, EVN

Guest: Hrant Mikaelian

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan

  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 531 | Recorded: April 14, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/531

#Armenia #IranWar #ArmenianPolitics #HungaryElections #ArmeniaPolls

]]><![CDATA[Iran War, April 2016 War, Armenia & Russia, Politics & Election | Ep 530, Apr 5, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/iran-war-april-2016-war-armenia-andhttps://substack.groong.org/p/iran-war-april-2016-war-armenia-andWed, 08 Apr 2026 21:01:23 GMTTopics:

  • Iran War Update

  • 2016 April War

  • Aftermath of Pashinyan in Moscow

  • Domestic Politics & Election

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan

  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 530 | Recorded: April 7, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/530

#Groong #Armenia #IranWar #Pashinyan #ArmenianNews

]]><![CDATA[Pietro Shakarian - Iran War, Armenia and Russia, June Parliamentary Elections | Ep 529, Apr 4, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/pietro-shakarian-iran-war-armeniahttps://substack.groong.org/p/pietro-shakarian-iran-war-armeniaSat, 04 Apr 2026 19:00:38 GMTIn this episode of Conversations on Groong, Pietro Shakarian joins Hovik and Asbed to examine the Iran war, its impact on Russia, Ukraine, and the wider Eurasian balance, and what it means for Armenia’s security and foreign policy. The discussion also looks at Pashinyan’s strained Moscow visit, the uncertain future of TRIPP, Armenia-Russia tensions, and the fast-forming landscape of Armenia’s June parliamentary elections, including the opposition field, campaign narratives, and the stakes for the country’s political future.

Topics:

  • The Iran War and Its Global Impacts

  • Armenia-Russia Relations

  • Parliamentary Elections in Armenia

Guest: Pietro Shakarian

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan

  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 529 | Recorded: April 3, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/529

#IranIsraelWar #IsraelIranConflict #IsraelConflict #Armenia #MiddleEastCrisis

#ArmeniaElections #PietroShakarian #TRIPP

]]><![CDATA[Anna Karapetyan - Iran War, Pashinyan Fake Narratives, Fear-mongering, Silencing Talk of Artsakh | Ep 528, Mar 29, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/anna-karapetyan-iran-war-pashinyanhttps://substack.groong.org/p/anna-karapetyan-iran-war-pashinyanTue, 31 Mar 2026 16:02:42 GMTOur 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.

Topics

  • Iran war escalation and spillover

  • Pashinyan’s Fake “peace” narratives

  • Elections built on fear-mongering

  • Silencing talk of Artsakh

Guest

Hosts

Episode 528 | Recorded: March 30, 2026

https://podcasts.groong.org/528

]]><![CDATA[Hovik & Asbed - Karekin II travel-banned from Ilia II Funeral, Iran War, Armenia Parliamentary Election | Ep 527, Mar 22, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/hovik-and-asbed-karekin-ii-travelhttps://substack.groong.org/p/hovik-and-asbed-karekin-ii-travelTue, 24 Mar 2026 23:01:20 GMTThis 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.

Topics

  • Georgian Patriarch Ilia II passes away

  • Karekin II travel banned from funeral

  • Iran war update

  • June Parliamentary Elections in Armenia

Hosts

Episode 527 | Recorded: March 23, 2026

https://podcasts.groong.org/527

]]><![CDATA[YoungMin - Travel Blogger’s Visit to Occupied and Ethnically Cleansed Artsakh | Ep 526, Mar 22, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/youngmin-travel-bloggers-visit-tohttps://substack.groong.org/p/youngmin-travel-bloggers-visit-toMon, 23 Mar 2026 01:30:54 GMTSouth 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 cleansing

Guest: YoungMin (Instagram, YouTube)

Hosts:

Episode 526 | Recorded: March 21, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/526

#artsakh #Armenia #YoungMin #NagornoKarabakh #EthnicCleansing

]]><![CDATA[Eldar Mamedov - Iran War: The Northern Front | Ep 525, Mar 22, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/eldar-mamedov-iran-war-the-northernhttps://substack.groong.org/p/eldar-mamedov-iran-war-the-northernSun, 22 Mar 2026 18:00:48 GMTTopics:

  • Iran at War

  • The Northern Front: Turkey & Azerbaijan

  • Changing Nakhijevan’s Constitution

Guest: Eldar Mamedov

Hosts:

Episode 525 | Recorded: March 20, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/525

#GroongPodcast #EldarMamedov #IranWar #Azerbaijan #SouthCaucasus

]]><![CDATA[Varuzhan Geghamyan - Iran War, Zangezur Corridor, Nakhijevan Constitution | Ep 524, Mar 20, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/varuzhan-geghamyan-iran-war-zangezurhttps://substack.groong.org/p/varuzhan-geghamyan-iran-war-zangezurSat, 21 Mar 2026 06:05:56 GMTWe examine the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran through a regional lens, focusing on the war’s broader strategic aims, Azerbaijan’s possible role as a northern pressure point against Iran, Turkey’s ambiguous posture, and Armenia’s growing vulnerability in the middle of these shifts. Prof.Geghamyan also looks at the geopolitical meaning of the TRIPP or “Zangezur Corridor” project, the recent centralization of control over Nakhijevan, and Geghamyan’s new book “The Armenian Wedge in the Path of Turan: The Issue of the “Zangezur Corridor,” on the historical roots and present danger of the corridor agenda.

Topics:

  • Iran at War

  • The Northern Front: Turkey & Azerbaijan

  • Changing Nakhijevan’s Constitution

Guest

Hosts

Episode 524 | Recorded: March 19, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/524

#IranWar #VaruzhanGeghamyan #ZangezurCorridor #Syunik #ArmeniaGeopolitics

]]><![CDATA[Scott Horton - Why Are We at War with Iran? | Ep 523, Mar 20, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/scott-horton-why-are-we-at-war-withhttps://substack.groong.org/p/scott-horton-why-are-we-at-war-withFri, 20 Mar 2026 17:07:26 GMTScott Horton joins us to examine the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, asking how this war began, what strategic goals are driving it, and where it could lead next. We discuss the limits of air power, the risk of a wider or ground war, the longer arc of U.S. and Israeli policy toward Iran and Syria, Turkey’s role in the region, and the domestic political consequences inside the United States as Trump presses ahead without broad public or congressional support.

Topics:

  • Why this war began

  • U.S. fallout and political costs

  • Paths to wider regional escalation

Guest:

Hosts:

Episode 523 | Recorded: March 20, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/523

#IranWar #ScottHorton #USIsrael #MiddleEastWar #Geopolitics

]]><![CDATA[Arthur Martirosyan - Iran War, Effect on Armenia, June Parliamentary | Ep 522, Mar 15, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/arthur-martirosyan-iran-war-effecthttps://substack.groong.org/p/arthur-martirosyan-iran-war-effectTue, 17 Mar 2026 17:32:14 GMTArthur 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.

Topics

  • Iran War

  • Effect on Armenia

  • June Parliamentary Elections

Guest

Hosts

Episode 522 | Recorded: March 16, 2026

https://podcasts.groong.org/522

#IranWar #EpicFury #MiddleEastWar #ArmeniaForeignPolicy #Sumgait1988 #IranIsraelConflict

]]><![CDATA[Hrant Mikaelian - Iran War Update, IRI Poll Review, Armenian Political Landscape | Ep 521, Mar 8, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/hrant-mikaelian-iran-war-update-irihttps://substack.groong.org/p/hrant-mikaelian-iran-war-update-iriWed, 11 Mar 2026 20:57:51 GMTWe discuss with Hrant Mikaelian the expanding war on Iran and what it could mean for the region. We took a close look at the latest IRI poll and its disputed methodology and findings, and the emerging shape of Armenia’s parliamentary race. Hrant Mikaelian argued that Iran’s leadership transition signals greater resolve rather than collapse, that Azerbaijan is still constrained from direct action against Iran unless the Iranian state seriously weakens, and that the IRI poll raises major methodological and interpretive questions. The discussion then turned to the opposition field in Armenia, where newer forces may have room to grow, but where media imbalance and weak opposition reach remain major structural obstacles.

See the slides in the SHOW NOTES.

Topics

  • Iran War Update

  • IRI Poll Review

  • Political Landscape

Guest

Hosts

Episode 521 | Recorded: March 8, 2026

https://podcasts.groong.org/521

]]><![CDATA[Hrant Mikaelian - Iran War, Effect on Armenia, Sumgait Pogroms, | Ep 520, Mar 1, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/hrant-mikaelian-iran-war-effect-onhttps://substack.groong.org/p/hrant-mikaelian-iran-war-effect-onWed, 04 Mar 2026 18:02:32 GMTOn this Week in Review, we discuss with Hrant Mikaelian the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran, how it began, what the first days suggest about objectives, and how Iran has responded across the region. We also explore what an Iranian weakening or collapse could mean for Armenia, including how Turkey and Azerbaijan might behave if Iran becomes distracted or destabilized. We close with the commemoration of the Sumgait pogroms in 1988, and what Hrant describes as the through-line from Sumgait to later anti-Armenian violence.

Topics

  • US and Israel launch war against Iran

  • Decapitation strikes, mass civilian casualties

  • Iran retaliates region-wide, war expands

  • Armenia leadership silent

  • Sumgait remembered

Guest

Hosts

Episode 520 | Recorded: March 2, 2026

https://podcasts.groong.org/520

]]><![CDATA[Dziunik Aghajanian - Iran War Fears, June Vote Rules, State-Church Clash | Ep 519, Feb 22, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/dziunik-aghajanian-iran-war-fearshttps://substack.groong.org/p/dziunik-aghajanian-iran-war-fearsFri, 27 Feb 2026 02:30:18 GMTTopics:

  • Iran War Fears

  • June Parliamentary Elections

  • Attacks on the Armenian Church

Guest: Dziunik Aghajanian

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan

  • Asbed Bedrossian

Episode 519 | Recorded: February 25, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/519

#Armenia #Iran #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianChurch #SouthCaucasus

]]><![CDATA[Zaroui Pogossian - Vardanank, The Battle of Avarayr in 451 AD | Ep 518, Feb 24, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/zaroui-pogossian-vardanank-the-battlehttps://substack.groong.org/p/zaroui-pogossian-vardanank-the-battleWed, 25 Feb 2026 02:30:27 GMTIn the inaugural Groong Deep History episode, historian Prof. Zaroui Pogossian joins the show to unpack the Vardanank wars and the Battle of Avarayr (451 AD). The conversation sets the longer political and religious context behind the conflict, explains what we can and cannot know from the main Armenian sources, and revisits the standard “moral victory” story through modern source criticism. Pogossian also discusses her work on medieval Armenia and previews an upcoming scholarly volume on Medieval Yeghegis, then uses a critical reading by Hayk Hakobyan to question common assumptions about Avarayr’s scale, geography, and strategy.

Topics

  • Vardanank Wars and The Battle of Avarayr

  • Armenian Sources, Yeghishe, and Parpetsi

  • Politics, Christianity, Nakharar Power Dynamics

Guest

Hosts

Episode 518 | Recorded: February 22, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/518

#GroongDeepHistory #Vardanank #BattleOfAvarayr #ArmenianHistory #ZarouiPogossian

]]><![CDATA[JD Vance in Armenia and Azerbaijan | Ep 517, Feb 15, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/jd-vance-in-armenia-and-azerbaijanhttps://substack.groong.org/p/jd-vance-in-armenia-and-azerbaijanSun, 15 Feb 2026 19:01:21 GMTJD Vance in Armenia and Azerbaijan | Ep 517, Feb 15, 2026

Conversations on Groong - Feb 15, 2026

Topics

  • Vance visit, protocol and optics

  • Tsitsernakaberd tweet, “autocorrect diplomacy”

  • TRIPP corridor stake and sovereignty risks

  • Nuclear SMR deal, costs and dependency

  • Firebird AI project, power and value

  • Drones, church silence, Baku charter and prisoners

Hosts

Episode 517 | Recorded: February 13, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/517

#Groong #Armenia #JDVance #Tsitsernakaberd #TRIPP

]]><![CDATA[Philippe Raffi Kalfayan - Europe and America, JD Vance in Armenia, Pashinyan vs. The Armenian Church | Ep 516, Feb 8, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/philippe-raffi-kalfayan-europe-andhttps://substack.groong.org/p/philippe-raffi-kalfayan-europe-andWed, 11 Feb 2026 20:09:50 GMTEurope and America, JD Vance in Armenia, Pashinyan vs. The Armenian Church

Philippe Raffi Kalfayan argues that “America First” has turned the U.S. into a harder, more transactional power toward Europe, and that Europe is exposed because it still lacks unified defense and foreign policy capacity. The discussion then moves to JD Vance’s reported Armenia stop and the TRIPP, which Kalfayan frames as a long-horizon corridor project that may be “secured” without securing Armenia, with unclear beneficiaries and success conditions Armenia does not fully control. The episode also covers Azerbaijan’s leverage, pressure tied to “returns” narratives, hostages in Baku, and the broader strain between Pashinyan and the Armenian Church, all set against Europe’s limited willingness to pay real costs for Armenia.

Topics

  • A European View of America

  • JD Vance in Armenia

  • Pashinyan vs. The Armenian Church

  • Europe and Armenia

Guest

Hosts

Episode 516 | Recorded: February 9, 2026

https://podcasts.groong.org/516

]]><![CDATA[James Carden & Pietro Shakarian - Global Affairs in the Age of Trump 2.0 | Ep 515, Feb 7, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/james-carden-and-pietro-shakarianhttps://substack.groong.org/p/james-carden-and-pietro-shakarianSun, 08 Feb 2026 05:44:14 GMTGlobal Affairs in the Age of Trump 2.0

James W.Carden and Pietro A. Shakarian assess Trump 2.0’s “Donroe Doctrine” framing as branding for coercive, deal-driven policy, then widen the lens to the collapse of “rules-based order” language and the rise of pay-to-play influence concepts like Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace.” The conversation turns to Iran, where escalating pressure, shifting demands, and regional signaling raise the risk of conflict and spillover effects for Armenia. The episode closes on JD Vance’s planned Armenia-Azerbaijan trip, how Moscow and Tehran may read it, and how corridor politics (TRIPP) and Armenia’s church-state confrontation shape the stakes.

Topics

  • Trump 2.0 and the “Donroe Doctrine”

  • Rules-Based Disorder?

  • Iran vs. the “Big, Beautiful Armada”

  • US Cohesion and Midterms

  • JD Vance in the South Caucasus

Guests

Hosts

Episode 515 | Recorded: February 6, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/515

]]><![CDATA[Andrei Tsygankov - Canceling Russia and The Towers of the Kremlin | Ep 514, Feb 5, 2026]]>https://substack.groong.org/p/andrei-tsygankov-canceling-russiahttps://substack.groong.org/p/andrei-tsygankov-canceling-russiaThu, 05 Feb 2026 19:30:13 GMTConversations on Groong - February 5, 2026

Topics:

  • Defining the “Canceling Russia” phenomenon

  • The “cancel Russia” lobby

  • Containment shifts to coercive transformation

  • Russian Orthodox Church as battleground

  • Kremlin “towers” and civilizational logic

Books by Tsygankov:

Guest: Andrei Tsygankov

Hosts:

Episode 514 | Recorded: February 4, 2026

SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/514


#CancelingRussia #RussianForeignPolicy #UkraineWar #StateCivilization #TowersOfTheKremlin #RussianOrthodoxChurch

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