Category: Azer News

Azerbaijani judokas have finished Lima Grand Prix 2025 with seven medals, Azernews reports.

On the final day of the competition, two more Azerbaijani judokas secured spots on the podium.

Murad Fatiyev (90 kg) marked his return after a five-month break with a silver medal.

In the heaviest category, Kanan Nasibov (+100 kg) won the bronze medal. This marked the 21-year-old judoka’s first medal on the World Tour Series, making it a significant achievement.

Earlier, Ahmad Yusifov (60 kg) won silver, while Rashad Yelkiyev, Ruslan Pashayev (both 66 kg), Omar Rajabli (81 kg), and Konul Aliyeva (48 kg) secured bronze medals.

Some 17 judokas, (4 men and 3 women), represented Azerbaijan at the tournament.

A total 293 athletes from 49 countries, including 172 men and 121 women,participated in Lima Grand Prix 2025.

Founded in 1972, the Azerbaijan Judo Federation actively promotes this martial art across the country. Since 2015, the Federation has been led by Rovnag Abdullayev.

The country’s modern judo history was laid by Mehman Azizov, who won a silver medal at the Old World Championship in 1998.

A year later, the winner of the World Youth Games in Moscow, Rasul Salimov, grabbed the bronze medal at the European Championship in Slovakia. Another national judoka, Elchin Ismayilov, became the European champion in 2000 in Wroclaw.

However, the achievements of Azerbaijani judo fighters did not stop there. Elnur Mammadli was named the best at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 73 kg division.

The list of the country’s top judo fighters includes Rustam Orujov, Irina Kindzerskaya, Mammadali Mehdiyev, Elmar Gasimov, Hidayat Heydarov, Zelim Kotsoev, Ushangi Kokauri, and Nijat Shikhalizada.

At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, judokas Hidayat Heydarov (73 kg) and Zelym Kotsoiev (100 kg) earned gold medals for Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan Culture Minister Adil Karimli has hosted a large delegation of cultural leaders and artists, headed by Nursahat Shirimov, Turkmenistan Deputy Culture Minister, Azernews reports.

The delegation arrived in the country in connection with Turkmenistan Culture Days, organized by Azerbaijan Culture Ministry.

Welcoming the guests, Minister Adil Karimli conveyed his congratulations on the occasion of Turkmenistan Culture Days in Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, an exchange of views took place regarding the development of cultural cooperation between the two countries.

Cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have been characterized by regular exchanges and the organization of cultural events. One of the key expressions of this collaboration has been the celebration of Turkmenistan Culture Days in Azerbaijan, which provides a platform to showcase Turkmen cultural heritage through exhibitions, music, dance, and art.

This event has been held several times, with one of the most notable exhibitions being “Arkhadag: The Pillar of Turkmen National Heritage”* at the Heydar Aliyev Center.

High-level meetings between officials of both countries have consistently highlighted the importance of strengthening cultural cooperation.

Construction of the Shafag (Jabrayil) solar power project, developed jointly by bp, SOCAR Green, and the Azerbaijan Business Development Fund, is advancing according to schedule in Azerbaijan’s Jabrayil district, Azernews reports.

According to the project investors, following the final investment decision made in June 2025, two major contracts have been awarded to support the project’s timely implementation.

The Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract, valued at approximately $117 million, was awarded to Intec and Complant. The contract covers the complete range of engineering, procurement, and construction services, as well as operation and maintenance for the first two years of the plant’s operation. Construction activities have already commenced, with site mobilization completed and earthworks and internal road construction underway.

The module supply contract, valued at over $29 million, was awarded to Trina Solar (Schweiz) AG for the provision of solar panels. The first shipment of panels was successfully delivered to the project site in August 2025.

Colin Allan, director of Shafag (Jabrayil) Solar Limited (SJSL), noted that the project is making solid progress:

‘We are pleased to see strong progress on the Shafag solar project, which we are delivering together with SOCAR Green and the Azerbaijan Business Development Fund, the co-venturers in the project, and in collaboration with many other stakeholders.

We are also excited to share that during earthworks, a historic archaeological site was discovered in the northern part of the project area. This open settlement, potentially dating back to the Bronze to Early Iron Ages, includes surface materials such as grinding stone fragments, clay pottery shards, and structural patterns of arranged river stones. We are working closely with experts from Azerbaijan’s Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology to assess the historical value and significance of these findings.’

Construction of the Shafag solar project is expected to continue through mid-2027, with a focus on maximizing local content and workforce participation. At its peak, the project is anticipated to generate up to 400 jobs, contributing both to Azerbaijan’s green energy transition and the socioeconomic development of the liberated Jabrayil district.

A post about the working visit of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Egypt has been shared on his social media accounts, Azernews reports.

The post reads:

‘President Ilham Aliyev’s working visit to Egypt (12-13.10.2025).’

Baku is hosting a high-level trilateral meeting between Azerbaijan, Iran, and Russia, aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of economy, transport, logistics, energy, and customs.

Azernews reports that Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev said during the meeting that such trilateral dialogues play an important role in deepening collaboration in areas of mutual interest. The talks are co-chaired by Mustafayev, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Overchuk, and Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadeghi.

‘The discussions we are holding in this trilateral format are of great importance for expanding trade, economic, transport, and energy ties among our countries,’ Mustafayev stated. ‘I am confident that our constructive dialogue will further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation among Azerbaijan, Iran, and Russia.’

He stressed that Azerbaijan remains committed to the principles of good-neighborliness, mutual understanding, and equal partnership with both Iran and Russia, expressing confidence that relations with both countries would continue to develop in the spirit of friendship and cooperation.

Highlighting the need to enhance interstate relations based on mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs, Mustafayev emphasized the importance of peace, stability, and prosperity for regional collaboration. He noted the growing relevance of the ‘3+3’ regional consultation platform, initiated by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, which complements existing bilateral and trilateral mechanisms, strengthens regional security, and opens new opportunities for economic growth.

Mustafayev recalled that the trilateral cooperation format was also established at the initiative of President Aliyev. The first Azerbaijan-Iran-Russia Summit was held in Baku on August 8, 2016, followed by the second summit in Tehran on November 1, 2017.

Speaking about key areas of cooperation, the deputy prime minister underscored the strategic importance of the North-South International Transport Corridor, which plays a vital role in boosting trade between the three nations. He noted that the volume of freight transported along the corridor grew significantly in the first nine months of the year compared to the same period last year.

‘As the only country with land borders with both Iran and Russia, Azerbaijan occupies a strategic position on the western segment of the corridor. This geographic advantage allows our nation to play a central role in enhancing the corridor’s efficiency and regional transport connectivity,’ he said, adding that joint efforts are underway to increase the corridor’s capacity and transit potential.

Mustafayev recalled that the Baku Declaration, adopted after the 2022 trilateral meeting, envisions raising the corridor’s freight capacity to 15 million tons. He also referred to bilateral agreements signed among the three sides to further improve infrastructure and connectivity.

The deputy prime minister pointed out that an agreement between the governments of Iran and Russia on the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway was signed in May 2023, while another agreement between Azerbaijan and Russia was concluded in December 2024 to enhance cooperation in freight transit along the North-South corridor.

He added that construction of the South Cargo Terminal in Iran’s Astara city, owned by Azerbaijan Railways and considered a key component of the North-South Corridor, is nearing completion.

Mustafayev further reminded that in December 2023, a new automobile bridge and border checkpoint over the Astarachay River on the Azerbaijan-Iran border were commissioned. Meanwhile, construction of the Agband-Kalaleh Bridge over the Araz River continues under an intergovernmental memorandum signed between Azerbaijan and Iran in March 2022. The bridge, part of the Araz Corridor, is expected to be completed by the end of this year, with associated customs infrastructure to follow in the first quarter of next year.

The Horadiz-Agband highway and railway projects are also expected to be finalized next year, creating a new segment that will connect both the East-West and North-South transport corridors.

‘This crucial infrastructure will not only serve as a new link between the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea but also enhance Azerbaijan’s role as a vital transit hub in the region,’ Mustafayev concluded.

Azerbaijan National Art Museum will host a lecture titled “Diego Rivera: The Promise of a Better Future” on October 15, Azernews reports.

During the lecture, director of the Anahuacalli Museum, María Teresa Moya Malfavón, will provide detailed information about the “Diego Rivera: The Promise of a Better Future” exhibition, which was held at the Azerbaijan National Art Museum as the first major international project led by her museum.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about the world-renowned Mexican artist Diego Rivera, who was known for his strong social stance.

The lecture will explore Rivera’s famous mural paintings created for various buildings in Mexico and abroad, which reflect the spirit of the people, the working class, and ideals of social justice.

Attendees will also gain insights into Rivera’s artistic philosophy, his vision for the future, and the social messages conveyed through his works.

The event starts at 16:00.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has signed a decree on the awarding of Azerbaijani railway transport workers, Azernews reports.

The decree states that the following individuals are recognized for their effective contributions to the development of railway transport in Azerbaijan:

Awarded the third-class “Emek” (Labor) Order:

Shamil Jafarov

Telman Gojayev

Ilgar Mustafayev

Shamsaddin Talibov

Awarded the “Taraggi” Medal:

Alexandra Bogolyubova

Elkhan Jabbarov

Kazim Jafarov

Mammad Efendi-zade

Rafig Gulmaliyev

Arif Hidayatov

Kazim Kazimov

Hikmet Karimov

Panah Karimov

Nijat Guliyev

Vafadar Mammadov

Elyar Muradov

Afig Nazarov

Mahammad Panahov

Madad Shikamirov

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev paid a working visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt at the invitation of President of the United States Donald Trump and President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to participate in the Middle East Peace Summit.

Azernews reports that on October 13, President Ilham Aliyev arrived at the International Congress Center in Sharm el-Sheikh, where the summit was held.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi welcomed President Ilham Aliyev, and they posed for photographs together.

Later, President of the United States Donald Trump greeted the Azerbaijani head of state, and the two leaders also posed for photographs.

The participants of the Middle East Peace Summit then gathered for a family photo.

During the summit, President Donald Trump recalled the Washington meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, saying: ‘Here he is; I just solved the war for this man. Azerbaijan, did you like my job? Where is your counterpart? Here he is. You guys are still getting along, right? They fought for 32 years, and in about one hour we settled, right? And they like each other now. Well, I think this is great.’

x x x

Following the summit, the signing ceremony of the peace agreement took place.

A trilateral meeting between Azerbaijan, Iran, and Russia is taking place in Baku, Azernews reports.

The meeting is co-chaired by Shahin Mustafayev, Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan; Aleksey Overchuk, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation; and Farzaneh Sadeghi, Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development.

Authorized representatives of the relevant institutions from all three countries are participating in the event.

The trilateral discussions are expected to focus on transport and logistics cooperation, energy collaboration, and customs issues.

The open court hearing in the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia – Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Gukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan and others – who are accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including planning and waging an aggressive war, genocide, violation of the laws and customs of war, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, its forcible retention and numerous other crimes, continued on October 13.

Azernews reports that at the hearing of the Baku Military Court, chaired by Judge Zeynal Agayev with judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev sitting (reserve judge Gunel Samedova), each of the defendants was provided with an interpreter in the language they understand as well as defense counsel.

Present at the hearing were the accused persons, their defenders, some of the injured parties, their legal heirs and representatives, as well as the prosecutors representing the state prosecution.

The hearing continued with the announcement of documents.

One of the documents states that while the self-styled entity existed, a weekly military program titled ‘Qoyamart’ (translated into Azerbaijani as ‘fight to live’) was aired in the media.

Episodes of that program were monitored and analyzed, and records were kept of the activities of senior officers serving there in terms of promoting the occupation of the sovereign territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan and increasing the combat readiness of Armenian armed forces located in Azerbaijan’s formerly occupied territories. One such officer is Major General David Manukyan, who holds a high military rank and is currently an accused. Based on the ‘Qoyamart’ military program episode broadcast on May 16, 2020, ‘exemplary exercises’ were held in the divisions of the largest armed formation of the Armenian armed forces in Azerbaijan’s formerly occupied territories on the topics of ‘methods and forms of firing from small arms in defense battles’ and ‘usage of grenade launcher squads in defense battles.’ The exercises were led by the armed formation’s commander, Lieutenant General Jalal Arutyunyan, and his first deputy, Major General David Manukyan, who gave the ‘necessary instructions.’

One of the announced documents related to the creation and activities of the ‘Krunq’ organization.

Subsequent documents concerned the establishment and formation of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia. It was reported that by the decision of the Government of Armenia dated January 28, 1992, the Special Defense Committee under the Council of Ministers was liquidated and all its property was transferred to the newly created Ministry of Defense. Vazgen Sargsyan was appointed Minister of Defense.

Thereafter, a number of classified documents belonging to the Armenian armed forces were announced. Photographs of each of those documents were also shown in court.

The documents prove that various military tasks were assigned to different structures of the Armenian armed forces, as well as to the self-styled entity’s ‘army’ (the largest armed formation of the Armenian armed forces – ed.), for execution in the territories of Azerbaijan that were formerly under occupation.

For example, from Secret Order No. 0119 – a combat task – dated 04.05.2016 of the Chief of the General Staff of the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia, Colonel-General Yuri Khachaturov, it is evident that the ‘commander of the army’ of the self-styled entity was ordered to arrange anti-tank ditches and the soil layers of ditch approaches in the ‘6th defense sector’ and use them as intermediate trenches and defensive lines; to obligatorily link and integrate the anti-tank ditches and approaches of the ‘9th defense sector’; and to camouflage the assets in combat formations.

At the hearing, a joint secret order – a combat task – No. 016 dated 24.12.2016, compiled in Yerevan by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian armed forces, Lieutenant General Movses Akopyan, and the head of the Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the armed forces, Colonel V. Sargsyan, was also disclosed and its photograph shown.

The secret document shows that to survey the area in the north-eastern direction of the self-styled entity’s ‘army’ and to select positions for radio-electronic reconnaissance (RER) units, from January 10-14, 2017, a working group of the 24th Special Purpose Separate Radio-Technical Regiment was to be organized to make a trip along the Yerevan-Khankendi-Agdere-Sukhovushan-Khankendi-Yerevan route; oversight for execution of that order was entrusted to the head of the Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armenian armed forces.

Also disclosed and displayed at the hearing was Secret Order No. 0261 dated 24.09.2019, compiled in Yerevan by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian armed forces, Lieutenant General A. Davtyan.

The document shows that the head of armaments of the Armenian armed forces was ordered to provide 46 sets of 120 mm M-75 (M-74) mortars replacement equipment with 20 sets of 82 mm M-69 and 26 sets of 82 mm BM-37 mortars to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th ‘defense sectors’ of the self-styled entity’s ‘army.’

The same document ordered the ‘army commander’ of the self-styled entity to take delivery of the specified weapons and ammunition and arrange their distribution to those ‘defense sectors,’ and to report on the completion of these tasks to the Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian armed forces within five days.

The secret Order No. 0671 dated 25.09.2020 of the ‘first deputy commander – chief of staff’ of the self-styled entity’s ‘army,’ Major General Kamo Vardanyan, titled ‘On the destruction by fire of the enemy’s populated areas,’ was also disclosed. The order shows that by September 28, 2020, the commanders of units and military formations in Khankendi were to target the populated areas attached to the order for fire engagement, calculate firing positions and include them in combat application documents, refine combat calculations, prepare one BM-21 system (YARS) unit for firing with 40 km-range G-2000 rockets in artillery units and keep 40 of the 80 rockets intended for it permanently in the combat vehicle’s transport-loading vehicle, with the remaining 40 to be loaded onto the combat vehicle before it is deployed in combat formation, and equip the BM-21 YARS with replacement devices.

The list of populated areas designated as fire-destruction targets attached to the order includes Azerbaijan’s cities of Mingachevir and Naftalan, and the districts of Tartar, Yevlakh, Beylagan, Aghjabadi and others, as well as a number of towns and villages.

Based on the announced documents, directives were also presented for the destruction by Armenian armed forces of civilian-populated localities in Azerbaijan that were not under occupation prior to the Patriotic War; precise coordinates of the populated localities to be destroyed and the types of rockets to be used were provided.

It was reported that the coordinates indicated in that document as targets were checked by the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan and were confirmed to correspond to settlements of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The court proceedings will continue on October 16.

It should be noted that 15 accused persons are charged in the criminal case concerning numerous criminal acts committed in the course of the aggressive war carried out by the Armenian state, including through the direct leadership and participation of its state bodies and officials, its armed forces and illegal armed formations, the orders, instructions and directives given orally and in writing, the material, technical and personnel support provided, centralized management and tight control – and also involving Robert Kocharian Sedrak, Serzh Sargsyan Azat, Vazgen Manukyan Mikael, Vazgen Sargsyan Zaven, Samvel Babayan Andranik, Vitaly Balasanyan Mikael, Zori Balayan Haik, Seyran Ohanyan Musheghi, Arshavir Gharamyan Surenovich, Monte Melkonyan Charles and others – who were created in violation of domestic and international legal norms to carry out military aggression against Azerbaijan.

Those persons – Harutyunyan Arayik Vladimiri, Gukasyan Arkadi Arshaviri, Sahakyan Bako Sahaki, Ishkhanyan Davit Rubeni, Manukyan David Azatini, Babayan David Klimi, Mnatsakanyan Levon Henrikovich, Beglaryan Vasili Ivani, Ghazaryan Erik Roberti, Allahverdyan Davit Nelsoni, Stepanyan Gurgen Homeri, Balayan Levon Romiki, Babayan Madat Arakelovich, Martirosyan Garik Grigori, Pashayan Melikset Vladimiri – are charged under the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan with Articles 100 (planning, preparation, initiation and waging of an aggressive war), 102 (attacks on persons or organizations enjoying international protection), 103 (genocide), 105 (extermination of the population), 106 (enslavement), 107 (deportation or forcible transfer of population), 109 (persecution), 110 (forcible disappearance of persons), 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenarism), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of war), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law norms during an armed conflict), 118 (military pillage), 120 (intentional homicide), 192 (illegal entrepreneurship), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing of terrorism), 218 (creation of a criminal organization), 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, carriage or carrying of weapons, their components, ammunition, explosive materials and devices), 270-1 (acts endangering aviation security), 277 (attempt on the life of a state or public figure), 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional order of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations and groups not provided for by law), and other articles.