Category: Azer News

Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom hold another round of discussions on a draft convention aimed at eliminating double taxation on income and capital gains and preventing tax evasion.

According to the State Tax Service under the Ministry of Economy, the meeting brought together representatives of the service and officials from the UK’s tax and customs administration. The sides exchanged views on various provisions of the draft convention.

Orkhan Musayev, head of the Main Department for International Taxation and Tax Monitoring at the State Tax Service, highlighted the importance of the convention in strengthening bilateral economic ties and promoting business partnerships.

Both sides also stressed the importance of improving cooperation to make tax administration more efficient.

The discussions on expanding cooperation in taxation and improving the existing legal framework were held in a constructive atmosphere, based on mutual understanding and cooperation.

Azerbaijani judoka Ibrahim Talibov, who secured the country’s first gold medal at the 4th Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, has returned home.

Talibov and his coach, Emin Iskandarov, were welcomed at Heydar Aliyev International Airport by representatives of the sporting community, federation officials, media representatives and family members.

Competing in the under-55kg category, Talibov defeated Croatia’s Zvork Jona in the final to claim Azerbaijan’s first gold medal at Dakar 2026.

The Azerbaijani judoka began his campaign in the quarter-finals, where he defeated Ibrahim Moussa of the Central African Republic and then overcame Saudi Arabian representative Muratz Hebah to secure his place in the final.

Azerbaijan is represented at Dakar 2026 by 13 athletes competing in eight sports. The Games will continue until 13 November.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has acknowledged that he has not personally met the country’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, whose whereabouts remain undisclosed amid heightened security concerns.

Speaking in an interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi said the Iranian leadership had deliberately restricted information about Khamenei’s location and public activities to prevent potential threats against him.

According to the foreign minister, the decision not to release video footage, photographs or public addresses featuring the Supreme Leader is part of broader security precautions.

Araghchi maintained that Mojtaba Khamenei continues to participate in governing Iran despite his absence from public view. He said the Supreme Leader remains informed about major national developments and communicates his decisions to relevant government institutions and officials.

The minister confirmed that he had not yet held a face-to-face meeting with Khamenei. However, he said President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and other senior officials had met the Supreme Leader.

Araghchi attributed the secrecy surrounding Khamenei’s whereabouts to the security situation facing Iran, referring to the deaths of senior Iranian officials, including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, during previous military confrontations.

He emphasised that withholding information about the Supreme Leader’s location and limiting his public appearances were deliberate measures intended to protect the country’s leadership.

Mojtaba Khamenei was selected as Iran’s Supreme Leader in March 2026 following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei.

Since assuming the position, he has not made any publicly documented appearances, with information about his activities communicated primarily through official statements and Iranian state media.

Although Araghchi confirmed that he had not personally met Khamenei, his account indicates that the Supreme Leader has reportedly received several senior officials, rather than only two individuals.

A total of 46 people were detained for violating Azerbaijan’s state border in October 2026.

The information was provided in the monthly report of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan.

According to the report, those detained included 26 Afghan nationals, six Azerbaijani citizens, five Pakistanis, two Turkish nationals, two Moroccans, two Algerians, two Palestinians and one Iranian citizen.

Additionally, eight people were detained as part of measures to combat illegal migration. They had attempted to cross the state border using forged date stamps, counterfeit passports or travel documents belonging to other individuals.

Trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States on a settlement to the war in Ukraine are scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced the planned negotiations in a post on social media X, saying the talks would advance President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war.

According to Witkoff, discussions will focus on post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian issues and further steps towards a peace agreement.

He also said that US negotiators would meet representatives of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the European Union and NATO in Brussels this week. The discussions will cover security guarantees for Ukraine, Europe’s post-war security framework and economic opportunities to support Ukraine’s reconstruction.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the dates, telling journalists that a Russian delegation would arrive in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11 to take part in the trilateral negotiations.

The previous round of talks in Abu Dhabi took place in early February. At that time, Ukraine, the United States and Russia agreed to exchange 314 prisoners.

Turkish journalist Yilmaz Özdil has criticised attempts to create tensions between Trkiye and Azerbaijan over the Palestinian issue, arguing that foreign policy should be guided by national interests rather than religious considerations.

Speaking in a video published on YouTube, Özdil pointed to the contrasting regional partnerships of Iran and Israel, noting that Tehran maintains close relations with Armenia while Israel has developed a strategic partnership with Azerbaijan.

According to the journalist, these relationships demonstrate that national interests and strategic considerations, rather than religious affiliations, determine the foreign policies of individual states.

Özdil criticised certain political and public circles in Trkiye for focusing on Azerbaijan’s relations with Israel and attempting to influence Baku’s domestic and foreign policy decisions.

“It is not the right approach for Trkiye to experience friction in its relations with Azerbaijan over the issue of Palestine. On October 29, on Trkiye’s Republic Day, the President of Palestine visited the Greek Cypriot side, the Republic of Cyprus. Yet, for the sake of these Palestinians, we risk straining our ties with Azerbaijan. Israel was one of the first states to recognize Azerbaijan after it declared independence in 1991, whereas Palestine has, for many years, supported Armenia’s position. Azerbaijan has not forgotten Palestine’s stance regarding Armenia,” he stated.

The journalist also recalled Trkiye’s previous concerns regarding Palestinian relations with the PKK and the Armenian militant organisation ASALA, arguing that Ankara had subsequently set aside those disagreements.

Turning to Azerbaijan’s military cooperation with Israel, Özdil emphasised that the relationship had developed over many years and had played a role in strengthening Azerbaijan’s defence capabilities.

“Azerbaijan acquired a significant portion of the weapons it used during the Second Karabakh War from Israel. While Trkiye frequently highlights its own provision of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Azerbaijan, it should be noted that Azerbaijan has been collaborating with Israel on the joint production of UAVs since 2009,” he said.

Özdil also addressed the historical foundations of Azerbaijan-Trkiye relations, referring to Azerbaijan’s decision to commemorate Victory Day on November 8 rather than November 10, the date on which the trilateral statement ending the 2020 war was signed.

He described the choice of November 8 as a gesture of respect for Mustafa Kemal Atatrk, the founder of the Republic of Trkiye, whose death is commemorated annually on November 10.

“This decision demonstrates the depth of the fraternal ties between the two nations. During Trkiye’s War of Independence in 1919-1920, the Azerbaijani people not only provided material aid to Trkiye but also participated in the national resistance movement, sacrificing their own lives. All of this shows that the Azerbaijan-Trkiye brotherhood is rooted in a strong historical foundation,” Özdil emphasised.

Turkiye’s annual inflation rate stood at 29.77% in October, remaining virtually unchanged from 29.73% recorded in September, according to the latest official figures.

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) announced the data in a statement.

Consumer prices increased by 2.58% month-on-month in October, compared with a 1.84% rise in September. Since the beginning of the year, prices have climbed by 27.52%, while the average annual inflation rate over the past 12 months reached 31.23%.

Among the main expenditure categories, education recorded the highest annual price increase, at 48.86%. Healthcare services became 43.29% more expensive, while housing, water supply, electricity, gas and other fuels saw prices rise by 40.24%.

Transport costs increased by 36.39% year-on-year, while food and non-alcoholic beverages recorded a 27.73% increase.

On a monthly basis, food prices rose by 3.5% in October, while housing and utility costs increased by 2.84%. Transport expenses climbed by 2.02% over the same period.

Meanwhile, data from the independent Inflation Research Group (ENAG) showed that Turkiye’s annual inflation rate declined to 45.12% in October, down from 46.61% in September.

However, ENAG’s figures indicated that monthly inflation accelerated to 2.68% in October, compared with 2.1% in the previous month.

The European Union could take a flexible approach to the euro and Schengen membership requirements if the United Kingdom seeks to rejoin the bloc, Politico reports, citing anonymous sources in Brussels.

According to the publication, London may not necessarily be required to adopt the single European currency or join the Schengen Area as a condition for returning to the EU.

Such an approach could increase the UK’s chances of rejoining the bloc. However, EU officials have stressed that it is still too early to discuss an official position on a potential British return.

According to a YouGov poll cited by Politico, 55% of Britons support reversing Brexit, while 34% favour remaining outside the EU.

However, when respondents were told that rejoining the EU would require adopting the euro and joining the Schengen Area, support for returning to the bloc fell to 35%, while opposition rose to 43%.

Earlier, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain could remain outside the European Union or potentially rejoin the bloc if that is what the public wants. He added that the government could consider proposals for a customs union, discuss the Liberal Democrats’ calls for membership of the single market, or “go all the way” toward rejoining the EU.

The UK held its referendum on EU membership on June 23, 2016. Some 51.9% of voters backed leaving the bloc, while 48.1% voted to remain. The UK formally left the EU on February 1, 2020, after several years of negotiations. The post-Brexit transition period ended on January 1, 2021.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to José Raúl Mulino Quintero, President of the Republic of Panama.

According to AzerNEWS, the letter reads:

“Dear Mr. President,

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my most sincere congratulations and best wishes to you and the people of Panama on the occasion of your country’s national holiday, Independence Day.

I am confident that we will continue our joint efforts to strengthen the friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Panama and fully realize the potential of our mutually beneficial cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

On this significant day, I wish you good health, happiness and success in your endeavors, and the friendly people of Panama lasting peace and prosperity.”

Sabina Aliyeva has been re-elected as Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsperson) for a new seven-year term.

The relevant decision was adopted during a plenary session of the Milli Majlis (Azerbaijan’s parliament) on Monday.

Three candidates were nominated for the position: Sabina Aliyeva, Elshana Valiyeva and Jeyhun Garajayev.

Aliyeva secured the highest number of votes and was elected for a seven-year term. Of the MPs who participated in the vote, 100 supported her re-election, one voted against and seven abstained.

Following her re-election, Aliyeva took the oath of office before parliament.

She pledged to perform her duties with honour and dignity, uphold the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and carry out her responsibilities independently and impartially. Aliyeva also expressed gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis and members of parliament for the confidence placed in her.

Aliyeva was first elected Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Commissioner on November 29, 2019, from among three candidates nominated by the President of Azerbaijan.

Professional background

Sabina Aliyeva Yashar gizi was born on May 7, 1980, in Baku. She graduated with honours from Baku Secondary School No. 8 in 1996.

Between 1996 and 2000, she studied at the Faculty of Law of Baku State University, completing her bachelor’s degree with honours. She subsequently obtained a master’s degree in law from the same university between 2000 and 2002, also graduating with distinction.

From 2009 to 2012, Aliyeva pursued additional higher education in international relations at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In 2016, she defended her dissertation on the application of international legal standards concerning the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in Azerbaijani legislation, earning a PhD in Law.

Aliyeva began her professional career at the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2000. After holding various positions at the institution, she was appointed Deputy Head of the Constitutional Court’s Administration in 2015. In 2016, she was awarded the third-degree rank of State Councillor.

On November 29, 2019, the Milli Majlis elected her Human Rights Commissioner of Azerbaijan, a position she has held since then.

Her principal responsibilities as Ombudsperson include protecting human and civil rights, investigating alleged violations of rights and freedoms, monitoring compliance with human rights standards by government authorities, and promoting legal awareness.

In her international activities, Aliyeva was elected Vice-President of the Asian Ombudsman Association in 2023. That same year, she became a member of the Board of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s Ombudsman Association.

She also serves as a mentor for the Yks?lis competition, established by the President of Azerbaijan, and was a member of the Organising Committee for COP29.

Ombudsperson election procedure and eligibility requirements

Under Azerbaijani legislation, the Human Rights Commissioner is elected for a seven-year term, and the same person may hold the position for a maximum of two terms.

Thirty days before the incumbent’s term expires, the President submits three candidates to the Milli Majlis for consideration. Parliament must adopt a decision on the election of a new Ombudsperson within 15 days.

The Ombudsperson is prohibited from engaging in political activities or belonging to any political party. The officeholder also cannot serve in the management of a non-governmental organisation. Any activities incompatible with the position must be terminated within five working days of election.

On the day of election, the Ombudsperson takes an oath before the Milli Majlis, pledging to uphold the Constitution and laws, discharge official responsibilities with honour and dignity, and act independently and impartially.

A candidate must be an Azerbaijani citizen aged at least 30, hold a higher education degree, have professional experience in human rights protection and demonstrate high moral standards.

Individuals holding dual citizenship, having obligations to another state, or serving in the legislative, executive or judicial branches of government are ineligible. The restriction also applies to individuals engaged in other paid employment, with the exception of scientific, educational and creative activities, as well as those declared legally incapacitated by a court or convicted of serious or particularly serious crimes.