Israeli arms, Iranian drones, Turkish oil: Azerbaijan’s high-stakes balancing act
Bordering Russia and Iran while cultivating Israel and Turkey, Baku seeks security through competing partnerships - and offers itself as a mediator when its allies collide.
Azerbaijan navigates a complex web of relationships with Iran, Russia, Turkey, Armenia, and Israel to maintain its security in the South Caucasus. Researcher Nargiz Mammadova warns that the country cannot ignore the presence of Iran and Russia, both of which border Azerbaijan and are involved in regional conflicts. In March 2023, Iran reportedly launched four drones from Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave, injuring four people and damaging infrastructure.
Iran denied responsibility, but the incident highlights Azerbaijan's vulnerability to pressure from its southern neighbor. Despite this, Azerbaijan maintains close defense ties with Israel, purchasing weapons and using Israeli-made systems in its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, transporting oil from Azerbaijan to Turkey and then to Israel, is another crucial economic link that complicates Azerbaijan's ability to sever ties with any one of its neighbors.
As tensions between Israel and Turkey rise, Azerbaijan remains a crucial venue for diplomatic efforts to prevent conflicts in Syria.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
