Category: Azer News

The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek was not only a rich and productive event, but was also notable for some particularly interesting exchanges between heads of state and government. When Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed Armenia’s membership of the Eurasian Economic Union, or, more precisely, whether Armenia should make a ‘concrete’ choice between the Eurasian Economic Union and Europe, the somewhat tense expressions on their faces did not go unnoticed.

When the Armenian Prime Minister raised the issue of a referendum, saying that it should be ‘the choice of the people’, a certain sense of displeasure was clearly visible on Vladimir Putin’s face. After listening to the Armenian Prime Minister for several minutes, Putin made it clear that he fundamentally disagreed with his arguments. His judgemental gaze towards Pashinyan almost suggested that he viewed Armenia as betraying Russia.

What is particularly interesting is that, despite Vladimir Putin presenting some serious figures on Armenia’s economic development during the discussion, Armenia’s confident posture did not change. For example, Putin’s reference to the $20 billion increase in Armenia’s nominal GDP between 2015 and 2026 was clearly not accidental. Armenia’s nominal GDP is now approaching $30 billion, and Putin’s pointed look towards Pashinyan appeared to suggest that Armenia owes part of this economic progress to its membership of the EAEU.

So why is Armenia willing to make its continued membership conditional without appearing concerned about breaking away from such an economic chain of growth?

Pashinyan acknowledges that his country is not yet in a position simply to choose the European Union and fully integrate into the European market, and that such alternatives are not currently realistic. He has even said that holding a referendum on choosing between the two sides would be inappropriate.

It therefore appears that Armenia is, for the time being, pursuing a policy of sitting on two chairs, even if this does not satisfy Moscow.

Of course, when the economic figures are considered, it is possible to see why breaking away from the organisation led by Russia is not yet necessarily in Armenia’s interests. Since the European Union has not yet delivered economic results for Armenia on the same scale as Russia, it is clear that Nikol Pashinyan will not be able to leave the Eurasian Economic Union easily.

This means that the gesture of moving closer to the European Union could simply be seen as a bluff – or as Yerevan playing hard to get with Moscow…

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

According to AzerNEWS, the letter reads:

“Your Excellency,

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I sincerely congratulate you, and through you, all your people on the occasion of the national holiday of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – Independence Day and convey my best wishes.

The friendly country of Vietnam has made significant strides in ensuring economic development, increasing the welfare of the population, and enhancing the country’s international standing.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Vietnam are based on the traditions of mutual respect, trust and friendship. The intensification of high-level contacts and the expansion of political dialogue in recent years have established a solid foundation for broader cooperation.

Today, there are good opportunities for further enhancing our cooperation across several sectors, particularly in economy, trade, energy, industry, transport, tourism, education, and humanitarian affairs.

I am confident that through our joint efforts, the friendly and strategic partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Vietnam will successfully continue to serve the well-being of our peoples and countries.

On such a joyous day, I wish you robust health, success in your endeavors, and everlasting peace and prosperity to the friendly people of Vietnam.”

‘Since the end of the Patriotic War in 2020, 437 Azerbaijani citizens have fallen victim to mine and explosive ordnance incidents, including civilians, servicemen, deminers, journalists and persons involved in reconstruction activities, resulting in 73 deaths and 364 severe injuries,’ said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in his address to the participants the 4th International Mine Action Conference themed ‘Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery: Setting Standards of Excellence for Safe Settlements.’

‘Overall, since the beginning of Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan, more than 3500 of our citizens have suffered from mines. Among them are children, women and other civilians whose lives have been tragically affected by this hidden threat,’ the head of state emphasized.

Astronauts from the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, Sophie Adenot and Jessica Meir, have successfully completed a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS).

The mission lasted 6 hours and 49 minutes. During the spacewalk, Adenot and Meir replaced a navigation device used to support the docking of spacecraft with the station. They also prepared the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) for future maintenance work.

For Sophie Adenot, this was her third spacewalk, while Jessica Meir completed her seventh. Meir is now among the most experienced female spacewalkers in NASA history.

The astronauts had to work in extremely challenging conditions. Outside the ISS, they were exposed to a vacuum and temperatures that can change dramatically depending on whether they are in direct sunlight or in darkness. Their spacesuits also serve as small personal spacecraft, providing oxygen, temperature control and protection from the harsh environment of space.

Spacewalks are considered some of the most demanding tasks astronauts can perform. Every movement has to be carefully planned, as a small mistake can have serious consequences. Astronauts train for many hours in large underwater facilities on Earth to simulate the weightless environment they experience in orbit.

The successful mission demonstrates the importance of international cooperation in space exploration. Astronauts from different countries regularly work together aboard the ISS, carrying out scientific experiments, repairs and upgrades that help keep the station operating.

The ISS travels around Earth at a speed of roughly 28,000 kilometers per hour, completing an orbit in about 90 minutes. This means astronauts can see the sunrise and sunset approximately 16 times during a single day in space.

An exhibition dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Mohsun Nagisoylu, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor and full member of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, has opened at the Azerbaijan National Library.

Titled “Mohsun Nagisoylu – 80,” the exhibition features the scholar’s monographs and textbooks, as well as publications for which he served as an author of forewords, compiler or reviewer. It also includes books prepared with his translations and editorial work, along with Azerbaijani-language publications and periodical materials covering his life and scholarly career.

Mohsun Nagisoylu is the author of more than 200 academic and popular-science articles examining the history of translation in Azerbaijan and written monuments. He has delivered research papers at a number of international academic conferences.

His works have been published in academic collections in Tehran, Kabul, St. Petersburg, Yerevan, Kazan, Ankara and Konya.

Nagisoylu’s scholarly work has also reached international audiences through publications abroad. His book Nizami. Pearls, which he compiled, was published in Turkiye, while his Catalogue of Persian Manuscripts was published in Iran.

Urban recovery in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories cannot begin with construction before contaminated land is made safe, Chairman of the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA) Vugar Suleymanov said.

Speaking at the 4th International Mine Action Conference in Baku, Suleymanov stressed that humanitarian demining represents the first practical stage of reconstruction and the safe return of communities to their homes.

“In the liberated territories of our country, urban recovery does not begin with construction. It begins with making the land safe,” he said.

Suleymanov noted that more than 103,000 hectares of land have been cleared and released specifically for residential infrastructure since November 2020. The cleared areas have enabled the construction of new settlements, housing complexes, schools, hospitals, public facilities and essential services for returning communities.

“Every hectare cleared for a settlement is a future home. Every hectare cleared for a road is a future connection,” he said.

According to Suleymanov, mine clearance operations have been directly linked to reconstruction and urban recovery in the liberated territories since November 2020. Significant areas have also been cleared for roads, energy infrastructure, agriculture and other priority projects.

He highlighted a number of reconstruction projects demonstrating the link between safe land and sustainable development, including the Aghali Smart Village in Zangilan, new residential complexes in Aghdam, reconstruction projects in Lachin, development in Fuzuli, and the international airports in Fuzuli, Zangilan and Lachin.

Infrastructure projects such as the Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha highway and the Horadiz-Jabrayil-Zangilan-Aghband railway line were also cited as examples of how mine action supports wider reconstruction and connectivity.

Suleymanov said ANAMA’s responsibility extends beyond clearing mines, emphasizing that demining operations must correspond with national reconstruction priorities, the Great Return process and the needs of people returning to their native lands.

“This Conference is therefore not only about demining methods. It is about how mine action can better serve people, cities and development,” he said.

The 4th International Mine Action Conference is being held in Baku under the theme “Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery: Setting Standards of Excellence for Safe Settlements.” Over the course of the conference, participants are discussing ways to better integrate mine action with reconstruction, strengthen donor mechanisms, develop resilient communities and use technology and innovation to make demining operations safer and more effective.

United States President Donald Trump will host a remembrance event to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on September 8, White House Assistant Press Secretary Olivia Wales told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

During the ceremony at the White House, Trump will unveil a 21-foot steel beam preserved from the World Trade Center’s South Tower. Among the attendees will be 9/11 first responders and officials. “President Trump will pay tribute to the American heroes we lost in the tragic Sept. 11 attacks, their beautiful family members, and to the acts of heroism that defined that fateful day when the unbreakable spirit of the American people prevailed,” Wales said.

Previously, The New York Times (NYT) reported that Trump will not attend the memorial event in New York City, as the event’s organizers did not allow him to give a speech. He will allegedly go to the Pentagon instead.

The traditional international mine action conference, jointly organized by the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA) and the United Nations in Azerbaijan, has commenced.

The theme of the 4th International Mine Action Conference, being held in Baku on 2-3 September this year, is ‘Humanitarian Demining for Urban Recovery: Setting Standards of Excellence for Safe Settlements.’

The conference aims to raise international awareness of Azerbaijan’s landmine problem, strengthen international partnerships in humanitarian demining, discuss the role of eliminating the mine threat in safe and sustainable recovery, facilitate the exchange of innovative approaches and best practices, and explore ways of mobilizing international efforts to address the mine threat.

More than 400 representatives from a total of 60 countries are attending the 4th International Humanitarian Mine Action Conference hosted by Baku. The participants include high-ranking officials from several countries, representatives of UN agencies and prominent international organizations, officials from mine action centers in various countries, as well as officials from diplomatic missions accredited in Azerbaijan.

At the event, Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration, read out an address by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the conference participants. Hikmat Hajiyev expressed his gratitude to the conference participants who had gathered to discuss the impact of the landmine problem on the recovery process and the important role of humanitarian demining in this process, and wished the conference every success.

Delivering the opening address, Vugar Suleymanov, Chairman of the Board of the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, stated that the theme of this year’s conference directly reflects Azerbaijan’s experience. In the liberated territories of our country, urban recovery does not begin with construction. It begins with making the land safe.Before families return to their homes, the settlements, the roads leading to them, water and energy lines, and the surrounding land must be cleared of the threat posed by landmines and other explosive ordnance. He emphasized that humanitarian demining therefore constitutes the initial stage of the recovery process. Azerbaijan is ready to share its experience in this field and has also organized this platform to learn from the experience of other countries. No country can resolve the landmine problem on its own. International cooperation, the exchange of technical expertise, donor support, innovation and strong national ownership are essential to ensure the transition from contaminated land to safe and sustainable recovery.

Nasar Hayat, on behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan, noted that mine action had long been a cornerstone of cooperation among the United Nations, the Government of Azerbaijan and ANAMA. He stated that, under the new 2026-2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework between the United Nations and the Government of Azerbaijan, the UN remains committed to supporting ANAMA. Much work remains to be done, and stronger partnerships and greater international solidarity are needed. Mine contamination may be a national problem, but mine action is a global responsibility: experience, technology and lessons developed in one country can benefit many others.

The discussions and exchange of experience during the two-day conference will contribute to the development of new partnerships and joint initiatives in the field of humanitarian demining. The conference also provides an important platform for showcasing Azerbaijan’s contributions to international cooperation in this field.

Azerbaijan will send another shipment of diesel fuel to Armenia.

According to Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), 17 tank cars carrying 989 tons of diesel will leave Bilajari station and head toward Boyuk Kesik.

So far, Azerbaijan has exported nearly 15,000 tons of diesel fuel and around 5,000 tons of AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline to Armenia.

At the same time, more than 55,000 tons of grain, around 9,000 tons of fertilizer, 1,414 tons of propane, 133 tons of aluminum, 1,114 tons of coal and 334 tons of timber have been transported from Russia to Armenia through Azerbaijan.

The development follows a key policy shift announced on October 21, 2025. In a joint press statement with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confirmed that Azerbaijan had lifted all restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia that had been in place since the period of occupation. The first shipment under this new framework consisted of Kazakh grain delivered to Armenia.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Wednesday, calling on the countries in the region not to allow the United States to use their facilities and territories to launch strikes on Iran.

The department said it “strongly condemns” the US’ latest attacks on Iran’s territory, including an alleged one on a wedding party in the city of Kuhestak, which it described as “barbaric.” It insisted that Iran had the right to respond by targeting US bases in the Middle East.

Furthermore, the ministry urged the United Nations (UN) and the UN Security Council (UNSC) to react to what it deems the US’s violation of the UN Charter.