(c) Turan News Agency - www.turan.az

The Azerbaijani–Israeli Business Forum Signals a Broader Strategic Realignment

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 21:33:00 +0400

The meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in Baku on January 26 was formally presented as an economic engagement ahead of a bilateral business forum. Yet the political significance of the visit extends far beyond trade delegations and memoranda of understanding.

In today’s volatile...

An “Inspector” Is Coming Our Way

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:14:00 +0400

What is the purpose of the upcoming visit to Azerbaijan and Armenia by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance? This question is at the center of attention not only in Baku and Yerevan. President Donald Trump himself has outlined the goals of the planned trip.

“In February, Vice President Vance will...

Why Azerbaijan Joined Trump’s Peace Council: A South Caucasus Calculation, Not a Gaza One

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 11:38:00 +0400

When Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, confirmed Baku’s participation in Donald Trump’s newly created “Peace Council,” the decision initially seemed unexpected. The organization emerged from an American plan for Gaza, it has already faced accusations of undermining the United Nations, and its structure is explicitly personalized around Trump himself.

But in...

Trump’s “Peace Council” Arrives in Davos, Offering a New World Order — With a Price Tag

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 21:29:00 +0400

In a gilded ceremony far from the ruins of Gaza, President Donald J. Trump unveiled what he called a new architecture for global peace: an organization he personally conceived, personally leads, and, in an unprecedented departure from modern diplomacy, personally controls.

The body, formally ratified on January 22 in Davos,...

Azerbaijan in Davos: From Energy Producer to Strategic Investment Hub

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:31:00 +0400

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Ilham Aliyev spoke at the Azerbaijan Executive Breakfast, a high-level event designed to present Azerbaijan not only as a resource-rich state but also as a strategic center for regional integration, economic diversification, and the attraction of foreign investment.

Economic diversification was the...

Baku gets what it wanted on the TRIPP road

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 21:42:00 +0400

The day before, the Armenian Foreign Ministry published a document defining the implementation procedure for the Trump Road for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project. The document was presented following a meeting between Ararat Mirzoyan and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.

This document clarified a key issue...

Why the United States Did Not Go to War with Iran — and Why It Chose Negotiations Over Supporting Protests

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:14:00 +0400

According to U.S. officials and analysts, the United States opted for restraint rather than war amid protests that swept across Iran late last year and peaked by mid-January. The Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the RAND Corporation have concluded that military action would most likely consolidate...

Shared views emerge in Astana and Baku among two post-Soviet presidents

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 22:47:00 +0400

On January 5, the presidents of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan gave extensive interviews to local journalists: Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the newspaper Turkistan in Kazakhstan, and Ilham Aliyev to a group of Azerbaijani television channels. Although the contexts and challenges facing Astana and Baku differ, both leaders articulated a strikingly similar set...

Trump’s 25% tariff tests the resilience of Azerbaijan’s balancing act with Iran

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:01:00 +0400

The Trump administration’s decision to impose a sweeping 25 percent tariff on goods from countries “doing business” with Iran has sent a fresh shock through global trade and poses a calculated but manageable challenge for Azerbaijan — a small, strategically located economy with deep regional ties and limited access to...

Protests in Iran Expose Economic Strain, But Analysts See Limited Chances of a Swift Change of Power

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 22:32:00 +0400

Iranian President’s calls for austerity and more efficient use of resources amid nationwide protests underscore growing economic pressure on the Islamic Republic, but analysts say a rapid change of power remains unlikely without fractures inside the ruling system.

This week President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed poor management and excessive consumption for...

The new world order

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 15:08:00 +0400

The world continues to reel from the shock of the capture of the Venezuelan president by American special forces and cannot find answers to many questions: what next? Will the Venezuelan regime fall, will a pro-Western government emerge there? How will other powers behave: will China seize Taiwan, Russia the...

Aliyev Says Azerbaijan Has Entered a New Era After the End of the War with Armenia

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:12:00 +0400

In a wide-ranging interview with Azerbaijani television journalists on Monday, President Ilham Aliyev described 2025 as a decisive year that will reshape his country’s geopolitical position, mark a new era of peace with Armenia, and open the door to deeper ties with the United States and other global powers.

Speaking...

Protests in Iran Enter a Second Dangerous Week, With Repercussions Felt in Azerbaijan

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:07:00 +0400

By early January 2026, unrest in Iran had moved beyond an economic revolt, exposing a deeper crisis of governance and quietly altering calculations north of the Aras River.

For a second week, Iran has been shaken by nationwide protests that began as a reaction to economic collapse and have evolved...

The Collapse of Iran’s Currency Triggers a Familiar, Dangerous Spiral

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 14:27:00 +0400

As the rial plunges and prices surge, street protests collide with an explosive geopolitical moment, testing the Islamic Republic’s ability to absorb shocks without fundamental change.

In the final days of 2025, Iran entered the new year with an old crisis sharply intensified. The national currency fell to a record...

What was agriculture in 2025 remembered for?

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 13:20:00 +0400

10 important events in agriculture in 2025

I. 27.01.2025. The Agricultural Subsidy Council adopted a new decision on the list of crops that must be insured in order to receive a planting subsidy and on the minimum size of their cultivated area.
II. 30.04.2025. An Agribusiness Festival was held...

Reply to the opponent: Why I See the Approaching End of the War in Ukraine

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:37:00 +0400

Almost four years after the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, it is becoming increasingly clear that the conflict has achieved many of the key strategic goals pursued by both Moscow and Western capitals, creating conditions that could ultimately push the fighting toward a negotiated settlement.

From this perspective, the...

Azerbaijan’s Food Prices in 2025: Falling Vegetables Offset Rising Staples

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:25:00 +0400

Food prices in Azerbaijan followed a two-track trajectory in 2025, with sharp increases in staple goods and dairy products counterbalanced by steep declines in vegetables and selected protein items. The result was a net fall in the overall food basket, despite persistent inflationary pressure on everyday essentials.

Based on a...

One Year After the Azerbaijan Airlines Crash, a Preliminary Report Raises More Questions Than It Answers

Sat, 27 Dec 2025 02:03:00 +0400

One year after a passenger jet operated by Azerbaijan Airlines fell from the sky near the Kazakh city of Aktau, killing 38 people, the preliminary investigation report published last week was expected to bring clarity. Instead, it has revealed a tangle of contradictions, omissions, and unresolved questions that risk deepening...

Azerbaijan in 2026: Moderation in Everything

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 23:44:00 +0400

In 2026, Azerbaijan is likely to move forward not through sweeping political change, but through a careful recalibration of power, priorities and partnerships. Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the country is expected to maintain firm political control at home, pursue moderate but steady economic growth, and continue a...

Azerbaijan 2025: Growth Slows — Diversification to Become the Main Driver in 2026

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:13:00 +0400

Azerbaijan is ending 2025 with a calmer economic pace than in recent years. After a period of solid non-oil growth and post-pandemic recovery, growth has slowed as hydrocarbon production declines and external conditions tighten. The economy remains stable, inflation is contained, and fiscal buffers are intact, but the shift from...

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Policy in 2025: Peace, Corridors and the Balance of Power Ahead of 2026

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 16:31:00 +0400

Azerbaijan is concluding 2025 having reassessed not only its borders, but also the logic of its foreign policy. After years of practicing multi-vector diplomacy, Baku has moved from tactical balancing to a more assertive posture based on sovereignty, connectivity and a selective alignment with the West—without burning bridges with the...

Azerbaijan’s Political Life in 2025: Continuity, Control, and Hidden Risks as 2026 Approaches

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 16:26:00 +0400

As the end of 2025 draws near, Azerbaijan’s political system remains firmly centered around President Ilham Aliyev, whose authority has only strengthened following victory in Karabakh and the neutralization of a rare challenge from within the elite. The state projects stability and continuity, yet beneath the surface lie vulnerabilities linked...

Sanctions Deliver a Growing Blow to Russia’s Oil Economy

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 16:20:00 +0400

U.S. sanctions against Russia’s largest oil producers, including Rosneft, Lukoil, Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz, are having a substantial impact on Russia’s export revenues and fiscal position, exposing the limits of Moscow’s ability to shield its energy sector from Western pressure.

Tightened in late 2024 and throughout 2025 under successive U.S....

New Law on the Internal Troops: Codifying the Primacy of Security

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 03:04:00 +0400

On Tuesday, parliament approved a new law on the Internal Troops, formally transferring overall control to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev, and removing the force from the authority of the minister of internal affairs.

The timing of the law has drawn particular attention. Law enforcement agencies are currently investigating...

Trump’s Plan for Ukraine: From an Ultimatum to a “Managed Pause”

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:30:00 +0400

When the original 28-point plan by Donald Trump on Ukraine leaked to the press, the reaction was predictable and harsh. In Kyiv it was seen as an attempt to formalize defeat; in European capitals, as a blow to the very principle of “no changes to borders by force.” The document...

An International Perspective on Ways to Resolve the Problem of Illegal Constructions in Azerbaijan

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 22:52:00 +0400

The issue of registering more than half a million undocumented homes in Azerbaijan remains a subject of ongoing discussion. At the same time, thousands of public catering facilities (restaurants, cafés, snack bars, wedding halls, etc.), industrial enterprises, and agricultural facilities across the country occupy areas many times larger than those...

Baku Pushes Customs Reform as It Seeks a Bigger Role on Eurasia’s Trade Map

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 22:12:00 +0400

When Azerbaijan regained full sovereignty over Karabakh in 2023, policymakers in Baku began speaking of a “new geography” for the South Caucasus — a map reshaped by transit corridors, economic reintegration, and a push to position the country as a logistics node between China, Central Asia, the Middle East and...

Traces of Kerimli’s Arrest

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:40:00 +0400

The detention of Azerbaijani opposition leader Ali Kerimli on charges of plotting a government overthrow comes amid broader turmoil in the country’s political landscape, as authorities dismantle networks linked to former presidential administration chief Ramiz Mehdiyev and prepare for possible constitutional reforms next year, experts and politicians say.

Kerimli, head...

On negotiations with Armenians and societies' readiness for peace

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 18:11:00 +0400

Do we want peace with Armenia? It seems like a strange question, but as it turns out, not really. Our society has had mixed reactions to visits to Yerevan and Baku by representatives of the expert communities of the two countries.

"What is there to talk about with them?" is...

Global financial instability and the new debt traps

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 01:28:00 +0400

Why the developing world is once again staring into a dangerous abyss

The world today feels strangely familiar to anyone who remembers the 1980s debt crises. The numbers have changed—grown grotesquely larger—but the sensation is the same: a creeping sense that something fundamental is out of balance. Everywhere one looks,...

On the prospects for Azerbaijani-American relations

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 13:55:00 +0400

After Donald Trump was elected President of the United States, relations between Baku and Washington, which had been seriously damaged during the Biden administration, began to normalise and improved significantly.

A landmark event was the August visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to the United States. The initialing of the...

The Bishkek Protocol for Ukraine

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:42:00 +0400

When the gunfire finally fell silent in May 1994, the ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan seemed more like a desperate pause in a war that had destroyed lives, displaced more than a million people, and reshaped the map of the South Caucasus. Few expected that a fragile truce, concluded at...

Pashinyan’s Visit to Kazakhstan Signals Astana’s Ambition to Act as an Active Mediator Between Baku and Yerevan

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 22:30:00 +0400

This week, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan paid a state visit to Kazakhstan. Diplomats on both sides were quick to describe the visit as far more than ceremonial. The two-day trip concluded with Armenia and Kazakhstan announcing a new strategic partnership — and with clear signs that Kazakhstan, long cautious...

Trump Has Opened a Window for Diplomacy: Why Ending the War in Early 2026 Is Becoming More Likely

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 22:44:00 +0400

The twenty-eight-point peace plan developed by United States officials and inspired by Donald Trump’s campaign promise to “end the war” is being discussed quietly among diplomats and defence ministers. The document, first published in full by Axios and Newsweek, outlines a draft of a large-scale deal: Ukraine would cede territory...

Washington Opened the Door — Now Armenia and Azerbaijan Must Walk Through It

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 16:19:00 +0400

After the Washington summit on 8 August, it became clear that the Armenian–Azerbaijani peace process has entered its most difficult phase. What happened at the White House was a political breakthrough; what is happening now is implementation, domestic consolidation and the slow process of turning signatures into a sustainable settlement....

On the organisation of propaganda and the inability to work with the diaspora

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 22:21:00 +0400

Primitivism and stupidity – these words can be used to describe how state propaganda is carried out in the country. I wanted to talk about this topic against the backdrop of the scandal surrounding the case of journalist and expert Ruslan Suleimanov.

This Azerbaijani and Russian citizen was expelled from...

Hidden anxieties and fractures of trust: why relations between Baku and Moscow are entering a turbulent phase

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:49:00 +0400

The missile strike that damaged the Azerbaijani Embassy compound in Kyiv on 14 November has shown how relations between Baku and Moscow have entered a phase of instability and mistrust, where rumours of covert plots, information warfare and factional intrigue increasingly shape the political perceptions of both sides. What might...

Azerbaijan Joins Central Asia’s Leaders’ Forum, Redrawing the Region’s Strategic Map

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 21:32:00 +0400

When the presidents of five Central Asian republics gathered in Uzbekistan’s capital over the weekend, they confronted a familiar scene: regional leaders seeking stability in a turbulent neighborhood, discussing threats that cross desolate borders and pipelines that carry new wealth across the steppe. But this year, something fundamental changed. Azerbaijan...

Tokayev’s Pivotal Visit

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 21:50:00 +0400

The state visit of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Uzbekistan this week has become one of the most ambitious attempts in recent years to transform Central Asia’s rhetoric of regional cohesion into real economic structures. For observers in both capitals, the meeting marked a decisive shift — from symbolic good-neighborliness...

“C5+1” and the “Greater Central Asia” Concept

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 21:30:00 +0400

C5+1 in Action

On November 6, 2025, Washington hosted the second “Central Asia–U.S.” (C5+1) summit. The meeting, marking the platform’s 10th anniversary, brought together the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, along with the U.S. President.

According to U.S. and regional officials, the United States is stepping up...

Dedicated to the 5th anniversary of Victory

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 16:33:00 +0400

Dedicated to the 5th anniversary of Victory

What do the Zangezur corridor and the return of Armenians to Azerbaijan have in common?

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 13:45:00 +0400

The opening of a road between the main part of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan via Armenia continues to be a geopolitical factor rather than just a transport route.

The fate of the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan effectively depends on the status of this 40 km stretch of land. In...

Qarabag managed to take points from Chelsea

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 13:37:00 +0400

Azerbaijani team Qarabag faced English giants Chelsea in the fourth round of the UEFA Champions League main stage. The game ended in a 2:2 draw.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Leandro Andrade scored the equalizer in the 29th minute. Marko Jankovic put Qarabag ahead from the...

The series entitled "Ramiz Mehdiyev" continues

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 13:32:00 +0400

The scandal surrounding the exposure of the former head of the presidential administration continues and is increasingly taking on the character of a bad TV series. Apparently, the authorities have decided to use the situation to settle scores with all their opponents and undesirable individuals.

The latest episode in the...

Another exposure of Ramiz Mehdiyev

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:29:00 +0400

On 27 October, a number of pro-government media outlets published a photograph of a text bearing the name of Ramiz Mehdiyev, former head of the presidential administration and academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan.

As before, the source of this text (letter) is not specified. In addition,...

Aliyev’s Visit to Astana: Turning Cultural Affinity into Strategic Infrastructure

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 20:19:00 +0400

The two-day state visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Kazakhstan on October 20–21 vividly demonstrated how Baku and Astana are transforming their shared cultural roots into a solid economic foundation. The two Caspian nations signed fifteen agreements in energy, logistics, artificial intelligence, and healthcare — a package designed to...

The situation surrounding Ramiz Mehdiyev resembles informational chaos

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:29:00 +0400

In recent days, there has been a surge in reports in the Azerbaijani media related to events surrounding former Presidential Administration head Ramiz Mehdiyev. Most of these publications are unofficial and based on unofficial data, which creates an atmosphere of information chaos.

Lack of official information

At this point, no...

Turn to the West ?

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:16:00 +0400

The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on October 16, accepted the credentials of new ambassadors from a number of countries. Symbolically, these were: the head of the EU mission, as well as the ambassadors of France and the Netherlands. Azerbaijan had very strained relations with these states and the EU...

The Arrest of Ramiz Mehdiyev and the Kremlin’s Shadow over Baku

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 22:21:00 +0400

The arrest of Ramiz Mehdiyev, once the powerful head of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration and long regarded as a key link between Baku and Moscow, has sparked speculation that his downfall may be connected to last week’s meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Dushanbe.
...

Theatre of the absurd

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 16:12:00 +0400

The 87-year-old head of the presidential administration, Ramiz Mehdiyev, was plotting a coup d'état – this news broke late in the evening on 14 October and will continue to reverberate in the country's public opinion for a long time to come.

Government media outlets are reporting on this with extreme...

The Grey Cardinal’s Betrayal

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 01:33:00 +0400

For decades, Ramiz Mehdiyev was the man behind the curtain of Azerbaijani politics — a powerful strategist, ideologue, and arbiter whose influence stretched from the presidential palace to the smallest provincial offices. Known among insiders as the “Grey Cardinal,” he helped shape the country’s political system after independence, outlasting both...

Georgia’s Political Crossroads: Repression, Protests and the Weakening Western Path

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 10:07:00 +0400

Tbilisi is once again on the brink. What began with local elections at the start of this month has turned into one of Georgia’s deepest political crises in a decade. On October 4, tens of thousands filled Rustaveli Avenue to denounce the growing power of the ruling Georgian Dream party....

End of hostilities?

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:00:00 +0400

Putin's admission that Russia's air defense forces were responsible for the crash of the AZAL plane in December 2024 puts an end to the deterioration of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia. This is the impression given by today's meeting in Dushanbe between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia.

Putin's statements...

In Dushanbe, Putin and Aliyev Tried to Turn the Page on Tension

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:12:00 +0400

In a quiet conference room at the government residence in Dushanbe, two men who had spent most of the past year at a distance — or not speaking at all — finally sat across from each other. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev exchanged a firm handshake...

Fears of a U.S. Economic Collapse Grow, but Predictions of a Great Depression Are Overblown

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 21:23:00 +0400

Warnings of an impending financial crash in the United States have gained traction among some economists and market analysts, both in the West and in Russia, who argue that record-high debt levels, inflated asset prices, and tightening monetary policy have created conditions for a sharp correction. Some even predict that...

Gabala Turkic States Summit: Unity Amid Rising Risks and Geopolitical Challenges

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 17:10:00 +0400

Leaders of Turkic-speaking nations gathered on Monday in the scenic Azerbaijani city of Gabala for the 12th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) — a two-day meeting under the theme “Regional Peace and Security” aimed at strengthening cooperation and shaping a shared vision amid growing geopolitical tensions. Presidents...

Azerbaijan renews cooperation with the Committee against Torture

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 15:56:00 +0400

A delegation from the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) visited Azerbaijan from September 22 to October 3 as part of a periodic review of the country. This was the first mission since the CPT delegation was denied entry...

Sea Breeze: Priorities and Challenges

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 15:48:00 +0400

A new project is being implemented in the capital, which should lead to a significant increase in the population of Baku.

Sea Breeze Limited Liability Company (https://seabreeze.az/az) is constructing hundreds of new high-rise buildings, villas, hotels, shopping centers, restaurants, tourist centers, and even the largest casino in Europe.
...

Aliyev’s Speech at the Gabala Summit Signals a Confident and Assertive Azerbaijan within the Turkic World

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 15:06:00 +0400

At the 12th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Gabala, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, delivered a speech that combined historical symbolism, assertive regional ambitions, and a message of collective strength. Speaking in the ancient city of Gabala, once the capital of Caucasian Albania, Aliyev described...

Turning Point: Iran Suspends Mandatory Hijab Law

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 13:30:00 +0400

In a moment many Iranians never expected to witness, the Islamic Republic has officially suspended its decades-long mandatory hijab requirement, declaring that wearing the headscarf is no longer a legal obligation for women. The announcement marks a historic shift in the country’s social and legal order, closing a chapter that...

Prospects for Armenian-Turkish Relations

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:32:00 +0400

Ankara-Yerevan relations continue to develop independently of Baku-Yerevan relations. This is evidenced by regular contacts and reciprocal visits to Turkey and Armenia by officials from both countries.

Particularly noteworthy was the sixth round of meetings between Special Representatives Serdar Kılıç and Ruben Rubinyan in September at the Margara border crossing...

Aliyev Unconventional Congratulations to Sandu

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:29:00 +0400

As part of participation at the European Political Community Summit in Copenhagen, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Moldovan leader Maia Sandu on October 1.

According to the head of state website, Aliyev congratulated Sandu on the victory of her Action and Solidarity Party in the parliamentary elections, emphasizing that...

Transport is becoming more expensive, but population should pay

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 15:22:00 +0400

From October 1st, metro and bus fares in Azerbaijan increased. Public transport fares have increased by 10 qapiks: from 50 qapiks, they will now cost 60 qapiks.

On a number of suburban bus routes, fares have increased to as much as 80-90 qapiks, despite the lack of discounted multi-use
...

What did Adnan Ahmedzade do wrong?

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 15:07:00 +0400

The arrest of businessman Adnan Ahmedzade has been the main topic of public discussion in Azerbaijan in recent days.

The media and bloggers are competing to vilify the former top manager of the state oil company SOCAR, not hesitating to distribute photos and videos of his private life.
...

The Arrest That Could Save Azerbaijan’s Oil Brand and the Country’s Position on Sanctions

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 15:40:00 +0400

In Azerbaijan, Adnan Ahmadzadeh, the former deputy head of the investment division of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), has been detained on charges of large-scale fraud linked to manipulation of crude oil quality. The case threatens to damage the export brand of the South Caucasus energy...

Baku’s Silent Diplomacy: Echoes of Oslo and Camp David in Israeli-Syrian Talks

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 09:33:00 +0400

Earlier this week, reports emerged that representatives of Israel and Syria were to meet in Azerbaijan’s capital on September 18. But as the day passed, silence fell. No statements were made, no leaks appeared, no diplomatic photographs surfaced. The lack of evidence left observers wondering whether the meeting had been...

Azerbaijan’s Economy in 2025: Slowing Growth, Inflationary Pressure, and Geopolitical Tensions with Russia

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 17:22:00 +0400

In 2025, Azerbaijan will face an unstable economic situation characterized by slowing growth, rising inflation, and a decline in the oil sector. At the same time, political disagreements with Russia, traditionally one of Baku’s largest trading partners, cloud the future of cooperation, raising the question of whether these internal and...

How Azerbaijan and Armenia Avoided the SCO

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 14:34:00 +0400

When the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) convened its annual summit this year, two South Caucasus countries were noticeably absent from its inner circle. Azerbaijan and Armenia, both aspiring to at least observer status, faced obstacles not from Moscow or Beijing but from the regional rivalry between India and Pakistan.

This...

Xi Jinping Drives SCO Into New World Order While Beijing Shows Military and Political Power

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 08:35:00 +0400

When Xi Jinping addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin this week, his tone carried ambitions that stretched well beyond a Eurasian security bloc. What began in 2001 as a regional club aimed at counterterrorism and border disputes is now being cast by Beijing as nothing less than a...

Azerbaijan and Russia signal thaw in ties with Astrakhan economic talks

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 22:17:00 +0400

On August 22, senior officials from Azerbaijan and Russia met in Astrakhan for the 23rd session of their intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, in what observers described as a cautious step toward normalisation of relations after months of tension.

The talks, co-chaired by Azerbaijan’s deputy prime minister Shahin Mustafayev and...

Turkic states seek deeper ties as transit routes gain urgency

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 20:00:00 +0400

Leaders of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan on Friday pledged to accelerate regional integration, using a summit on Turkmenistan’s Caspian coast to draft plans for joint transport corridors, energy exports and trade links amid shifting geopolitical dynamics across Eurasia.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkmenistan’s national leader...

On Alaska’s Ice, Putin and Trump Resume Dialogue but Leave Ukraine in Limbo

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 07:09:00 +0400

Diplomatic Meeting Without Breakthroughs

The meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska carried all the trappings of high diplomacy: military aircraft overhead, a red carpet, and newspaper headlines heralding a potential breakthrough on Ukraine. Yet, when the leaders came together, there was no joint...

Why Moscow Is Silent on the Trump-Aliyev-Pashinyan Summit

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 17:37:00 +0400

When the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a historic peace agreement in Washington on Aug. 8 under the mediation of President Donald J. Trump, the Kremlin’s reaction was not fiery denunciation, nor cautious endorsement — it was silence.

That silence may be less about indifference and more about timing....

In Washington, Peace Agreement Reshapes the South Caucasus and U.S. Influence

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 02:37:00 +0400

On Friday, in the richly decorated halls of the White House, surrounded by American flags and the strict formalities of a diplomatic ceremony, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint declaration they hope will heal one of the deepest wounds of the post-Soviet world.
...

Trump Hosts Aliyev and Pashinyan in Washington as Both Still Glance Toward Moscow

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 22:11:00 +0400

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to host Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House on Friday in what officials describe as a potentially historic step toward normalizing relations between the longtime rivals.

Washington correspondent Alex Raufoglu, traveling with U.S. Secretary of State...

Rumor of the “Trump Bridge” Transport Corridor Sparks Geopolitical Turmoil in the South Caucasus

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 12:03:00 +0400

Reports in international media about a proposed memorandum allegedly outlining the creation of a “Trump Bridge” transport corridor linking mainland Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia have triggered speculation, geopolitical debate, and official denials.

The so-called memorandum, reportedly signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the United States, has not been...

Forecasting Fragile Calm in Syria’s As-Suwayda: Will the Ceasefire Hold?

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 10:13:00 +0400

After one of the bloodiest escalations in Syria in recent years, a fragile calm has settled over the southern province of As-Suwayda. On July 19, acting President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, ending days of clashes that left up to 940 people dead and hundreds more wounded.
...

President of Azerbaijan Uses Global Media Forum to Project Vision of Stability, Sovereignty, and Strategic Connectivity

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 22:54:00 +0400

Under the bright July sun and against the backdrop of the newly rebuilt hilltop town of Shusha, the government of Azerbaijan opened the third Global Media Forum on Saturday. The event gathered journalists, agency executives, and digital media experts from 52 countries. But the three-day gathering, officially titled “Digital Pathways:...

Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan Relations: A Pragmatic Reset on the Caspian Energy Chessboard

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:14:00 +0400

When Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, Chairman of Turkmenistan’s Halk Maslahaty (People's Council), arrived in Baku on July 16, his visit quietly signaled a noticeable reorientation in Azerbaijani-Turkmen relations. Though the two-day trip was not accompanied by headlines or grand agreements, it reflected deeper undercurrents reshaping the Caspian region’s energy and transport landscape.
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Baku-Moscow Relations: Between Geopolitical Consequences and Economic Realities

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 23:06:00 +0400

Despite steady trade growth and expanding investment portfolios, Azerbaijani-Russian relations in the second half of 2025 are experiencing one of their most unstable periods in history. The death of two Azerbaijani citizens during a special operation by Russian law enforcement in Yekaterinburg on June 27 triggered a diplomatic crisis that...

Ahmed al-Sharaa in Baku as Secret Syria-Israel Talks Reportedly Take Place

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 23:32:00 +0400

Syria’s transitional president Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Baku on Saturday for a carefully orchestrated visit filled with diplomatic symbolism, marking a new chapter in Syria-Azerbaijan relations after years of stagnation.

It was al-Sharaa’s first official visit to Azerbaijan since taking office in January following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime....

Aliyev-Pashinyan Talks in Abu Dhabi Mark a Turning Point in South Caucasus Peace Process

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 15:47:00 +0400

The historic face-to-face meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Abu Dhabi marked a significant shift in the long-standing peace efforts between the two South Caucasus rivals — moving from decades of externally mediated negotiations to direct bilateral diplomacy.

Held in the neutral setting...

Forecast: Will a Peace Treaty Between Armenia and Azerbaijan Be Signed in 2025 or Delayed Until the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Elections?

Sat, 05 Jul 2025 16:21:00 +0400

Status as of July 2025

As of July 2025, Armenia and Azerbaijan have concluded negotiations on the text of a historic peace treaty, with both sides agreeing to 17 articles covering mutual recognition of borders, renunciation of territorial claims, border demarcation, and a commitment to drop international claims related to...

In a Symbolic City, a Regional Summit Charts a Vision for a Connected Future

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 18:58:00 +0400

Perched in the highlands of the South Caucasus and once a flashpoint of ethnopolitical conflict, the city of Khankendi—known as Stepanakert during the Soviet era—this week hosted the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit. The gathering offered a vivid tableau of shifting geopolitics, regional renewal, and aspirations for a sustainable,...

A Blossoming Alliance: Uzbekistan’s President Visits Azerbaijan

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 07:38:00 +0400

As geopolitical crosswinds reshape Central Asia and the South Caucasus, two regional leaders are weaving a closer bond. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Azerbaijan this week for a three-day state visit that underscored the expanding political, economic, and cultural partnership between Tashkent and Baku — a relationship that is...

Could There Be a Fifth Azerbaijani-Russian War? Historical Echoes of Contemporary Tensions

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 22:57:00 +0400

It’s not every day that political commentators in the South Caucasus seriously consider the possibility of a war between Azerbaijan and Russia. But a string of recent tensions — quiet diplomatic spats, provocations from Russian media, and geopolitical reshufflings — has led some to ponder an uncomfortable question: could two...

In Malta’s Shadow: Azerbaijan Balances Between Rage and Pragmatism in Its Relations with Russia

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:40:00 +0400

The killing of two Azerbaijanis by Russian law enforcement officers in Yekaterinburg, along with mass detentions and alleged torture of others, sparked a storm of outrage in Azerbaijan. The backlash reverberated through state-controlled media, civil society groups, and government officials. Accusations of chauvinism, systemic discrimination against national minorities in Russia,...

China’s Strategic Rise in the South Caucasus Reshapes Regional Power Balance

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 21:54:00 +0400

Amid waning U.S. influence and Moscow’s loss of control, a new player is quietly but steadily entering the geopolitics of the South Caucasus — China.

Traditionally focused on its immediate neighborhood and global trade arteries, Beijing has in recent years expanded its footprint across the turbulent trio of Armenia, Azerbaijan,...

Forecasting Iran’s Future: Mounting Pressure Makes Regime Change a Real Possibility

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 13:39:00 +0400

The war between Iran and Israel—now intensified by direct U.S. military intervention—has plunged the Islamic Republic into a state of unprecedented uncertainty. American airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, coordinated with Israeli raids, have paralyzed parts of Iran’s military infrastructure. Yet despite the damage inflicted, the collapse of the regime...

Pashinyan Makes Unprecedented Visit to Turkey in Bid to Normalize Relations

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 16:23:00 +0400

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made a landmark visit to Turkey on Friday, marking the first official bilateral trip by an Armenian head of government to the country since Armenia gained independence in 1991. Both sides described the move as a “historic” step toward normalizing relations.

Pashinyan was received at...

After the Fire: What the End of the Israel-Iran Military Escalation Says About the Region’s Future

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 13:16:00 +0400

The latest—and perhaps most dangerous—round of direct military confrontation between Israel and Iran appears to have come to an abrupt halt. Following a dramatic three-day exchange of missile and drone strikes, cyberattacks, and air raids, both sides have now signaled a pause—if not an end—to active hostilities.

In a statement...

Israel and Iran: A New War or the Final Act of an Outdated Rivalry?

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 14:15:00 +0400

On the night of June 13, as the Israeli Air Force launched Operation “The People like a Lioness”—targeting the top echelon of Iran’s military and nuclear establishment—the long-standing enmity between the two nations reached its most perilous phase. Among those killed were Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard...

Church, State, and Power: Armenian Prime Minister Launches Unprecedented Attack on Spiritual Leader

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 21:42:00 +0400

This week, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ignited a political and spiritual firestorm by publicly accusing the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Garegin II, of violating his vow of celibacy and calling for his removal. Critics say the move blurs the line between church and state in a...

The Opening of Lachin Airport Marks a Strategic Milestone in Azerbaijan’s Post-War Reconstruction

Wed, 28 May 2025 17:53:00 +0400

On Wednesday, Azerbaijan opened its third international airport on territory reclaimed in the 2020 conflict with Armenia—a development filled with symbolism and strategic intent. The Lachin International Airport, inaugurated on the country’s Independence Day, was unveiled in a high-profile ceremony attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan,...

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Visits Baku, Signaling Strategic Ties and a Quiet Mediator Role

Sun, 25 May 2025 22:18:00 +0400

In a region increasingly shaped by overlapping loyalties and rival powers, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha paid a highly symbolic and diplomatically charged visit to Azerbaijan on Sunday, highlighting Kyiv’s search for new allies, energy partners, and neutral platforms in the shadow of war.

Sybiha’s trip marked the first official...

Budapest Summit Underscores Ambitions of Turkic Cooperation

Thu, 22 May 2025 08:00:00 +0400

Leaders of the Turkic world gathered in Budapest this week for the first informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), marking the first time such an event has been held in a European Union member state. The meeting highlighted both the strategic rise of the organization and the...

Cappuccino Diplomacy in Tirana: Aliyev and Pashinyan Talk Peace, But the Pen Caps Remain On

Sat, 17 May 2025 23:11:00 +0400

Under the chandeliers of the sixth European Political Community summit in Albania’s capital, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sat at the same table—perhaps sipping coffee—and carefully articulated their commitment to maintaining the peace process.

In an atmosphere more suited to Balkan socializing than post-war diplomacy,...

Russia-Ukraine Talks in Istanbul End Without Ceasefire Agreement

Fri, 16 May 2025 21:37:00 +0400

Talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations concluded in Istanbul on Friday without an agreement on a ceasefire, underscoring the persistent gulf between the two sides and casting doubt on the prospects for meaningful progress in the near term.

The meeting, held behind closed doors and announced only days before its...

No Breakthrough Expected: Russia-Ukraine Talks Resume Amid Deep-Rooted Disagreements

Thu, 15 May 2025 09:25:00 +0400

Russia and Ukraine are set to meet in Istanbul for another round of direct negotiations, which both sides present as a potential path to “long-term peace.” However, with key decision-makers absent from the table and longstanding geopolitical disputes still unresolved, expectations for a meaningful breakthrough remain exceedingly low.

The Russian...

Trump Embarks on Gulf Tour with High Hopes and Persistent Fault Lines

Tue, 13 May 2025 17:09:00 +0400

President Donald Trump arrived in the Persian Gulf this week for a high-stakes four-day visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—a trip the White House frames as a defining moment for U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. It marks Trump’s first major overseas journey since securing...