Alen Simonyan Downplays Aliyev’s ‘Western Azerbaijan’ Claims While Armenia Faces Existential Threat

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has once again claimed that much of Armenia's territory belongs to "Western Azerbaijan"—a phrase he uses to refer to Armenian land. While most in Armenia view this as a direct threat and a territorial claim, a top ally of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is now suggesting that Aliyev’s words are not as dangerous as they sound.

Alen Simonyan, the speaker of Armenia’s Parliament and a close political partner of Pashinyan, told reporters on Tuesday that Aliyev is simply “reacting” to actions of Nagorno-Karabakh’s former leaders, many of whom are now living in Armenia after being forced to flee their homes following Azerbaijan’s military takeover of the indigenous Armenian region in 2023.

Simonyan suggested that when Karabakh Armenians hold unofficial elections or make political statements in exile, it gives Aliyev an excuse to make similar moves by demanding the return of Azerbaijanis who lived in Armenia before the late 1980s. “He tries to do the same things that he thinks we did,” Simonyan said.

However, many Armenians see this comparison as deeply flawed and dangerous.

Aliyev’s statements about “Western Azerbaijan” are not just about people. They are about land. Land that is internationally recognized as part of Armenia. And land that has never been called “Western Azerbaijan” in any legal or historical way.

In contrast, Nagorno-Karabakh—also known as Artsakh—was a region with predominately Armenian population and was at the heart of peace negotiations for decades. The United States, Russia, and France, working through the OSCE Minsk Group, held regular talks and even proposed peace plans that gave Armenia a major role in the region’s future.

None of that applies to “Western Azerbaijan,” which Aliyev now claims is simply “historical land” that must be returned.

This isn't the first time Aliyev has made such statements. In fact, they are part of a growing pattern.

Just last week, he said that a peace deal with Armenia would only be possible if Yerevan agrees to let Azerbaijani families return to towns and villages they left over 30 years ago—many of which are now fully Armenian. He also demanded constitutional changes in Armenia, a move that Armenian leaders, including Prime Minister Pashinyan, have called unacceptable.

Aliyev’s rhetoric echoes old nationalist ideas and seeks to rewrite history. He is trying to erase the centuries-long Armenian presence in the region and ignore the tragedy of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, during which millions of Armenians were killed or forced to flee their ancestral lands—places that many still call "Western Armenia" to this day.

The difference is clear: Armenians remember these lands as part of their history and culture. Aliyev wants to use his claims as a political weapon in modern geopolitics.

Simonyan also claimed that peace is near. He said that “five minutes after the signing of the peace treaty,” Armenians and Azerbaijanis would be trading and cooperating.

But opposition leaders in Armenia are not convinced.

They say the treaty being negotiated behind closed doors is filled with dangers. It does not guarantee Armenia’s security and does not address the thousands of Karabakh Armenians who are now refugees. Instead, they believe the government is rushing to sign a deal just to gain political points before the 2026 elections.

Meanwhile, Pashinyan’s earlier comments comparing “Western Azerbaijan” to “Western Armenia” caused outrage. Critics said he gave Aliyev a chance to justify his claims by drawing a false parallel between the memory of a genocide and an aggressive land grab.

If Aliyev’s words are ignored or brushed aside—as Simonyan seems to suggest—Armenia could face even more pressure in the future. The memory of the 2020 war, and the complete loss of control over Artsakh in 2023, still haunts the country.

Now, with parts of Armenia itself being labeled by Azerbaijan as “Western Azerbaijan,” the stakes are even higher.

For many Armenians, the message is clear: vigilance and national unity are more important than ever. Appeasing dangerous rhetoric or pretending it is harmless could lead to more losses—of land, of dignity, and of history.

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