Iran moves to charge for Hormuz transit as United States weighs ground options

On Saturday evening, as the clock moves toward 8:30, parts of Azerbaijan’s capital are expected to enter a carefully staged darkness. The façade lighting of the Maiden Tower, the Baku Olympic Stadium and other prominent buildings will go dim for one hour, joining millions of homes, offices and monuments around the world in the annual ritual known as Earth Hour.

Azerbaijan is facing conditions that could drive up prices for premium-grade AI-95 gasoline, as domestic production is set to halt in 2026 and reliance on imports grows amid volatile global energy markets.

Iran has stepped up pressure on its northern neighbors, urging them to cut contacts with the United States and Israel while warning of broader regional consequences, as tensions spill into the Caspian basin.

Vladimir Putin took part on Friday in the opening of the Azerbaijani State Musical Drama Theater in Derbent via video conference, a format that itself became part of the presidential message.