Turkic states split on Iran despite joint rhetoric at Baku summit

Masoud Pezeshkian, president of Iran, held a phone call with Ilham Aliyev, the leader of Azerbaijan, on April 2, as both sides signaled support for de-escalation following weeks of heightened regional tensions.

Russian media have reported the spread of foot-and-mouth disease among livestock in several regions of the country. According to these reports, the main outbreak zone is Siberia. Azerbaijan imports beef from Russia, which accounts for approximately 20% of total beef imports. Experts recommend that Azerbaijan exercise caution in importing beef from Russia.

Azerbaijan’s foreign exchange market remained stable in the early months of 2026, supported by a steady manat exchange rate, declining dollarisation and a modest increase in central bank reserves, official data showed.

Azerbaijan’s monetary base increased to 23.765 billion manats as of April 1, 2026, marking a rise of 948 million manats, or 4.2%, compared with March 1, according to official data.