Category: Azer News

The landmine problem remains one of the most persistent humanitarian and security challenges facing Azerbaijan following the end of the conflict with Armenia. Thousands of mines and unexploded ordnance continue to complicate the restoration of territories, the return of displaced Azerbaijanis and the implementation of large-scale reconstruction projects.

Baku has repeatedly argued that Armenia possesses information that could significantly accelerate demining efforts, particularly regarding mines laid during and after the conflict. Azerbaijan has also emphasized that the issue is not solely humanitarian, but has a direct bearing on the normalization process between the two countries.

Against this backdrop, the question remains whether greater cooperation on mine clearance could help build trust between Baku and Yerevan, or whether the issue will continue to serve as another source of political disagreement.

Speaking to AzerNEWS on the sidelines of the 4th International Mine Action Conference, Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Center of Analysis of International Relations, stressed that the problem should primarily be understood through its political dimension.

‘Yes, this is actually a political problem. The mine issue has several dimensions, including casualties and technical challenges, but what interests us in this context is its political dimension. The normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan is underway, and precautionary measures are being discussed. Unfortunately, I do not think the Armenian side is taking consistent steps to resolve the mine problem.’

Shafiyev argued that the information provided by Armenia has not been sufficient to address the scale of the problem on the ground.

‘We were given mine maps, but experience shows that those maps are not sufficient. Mines continue to be found in many areas, while the Armenian side usually argues that the mines were laid in the 1990s and that the maps are inaccurate. They claim that maps were not properly prepared even when the mines were being laid, and this is then used to justify why additional information cannot be provided to the Azerbaijani side.’

He further pointed to mines allegedly laid after the Second Garabagh War, arguing that this makes the question of available information particularly significant.

‘On the other hand, after the Second Garabagh War, Armenia had time to withdraw from the territories, yet mines were planted during that period. In 2021 and 2022, mines were laid in some areas as well. This was not 30 years ago-it was only two, three, four or five years ago. When those mines were laid, the people who carried out those operations were in Armenia or had knowledge of these activities. Therefore, if this information is not provided, I believe there is a lack of political will to resolve the issue. This issue should be addressed within the normalization process, because at present Armenia is not undertaking sufficient operational measures to help resolve the problem.’

Representatives of the Armenian and Turkish business communities will meet in Yerevan on September 3 and 4 for a two-day conference focused on expanding economic cooperation and developing new cross-border business links.

The conference is being organised by the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia (UMBA) as part of the EU-funded programme ‘Support to the Normalisation of Armenian-Turkish Relations: Strengthening Cross-Border Connections’, according to Armenian sources.

The event will bring together representatives of the business communities and government institutions of Armenia and Turkiye to discuss opportunities for bilateral economic cooperation, identify potential new areas and formats for engagement, and encourage the establishment of new business partnerships.

According to a statement issued by the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia, the programme will include discussions and meetings focusing on the potential for bilateral economic cooperation, the development of business ties and opportunities for cross-border collaboration.

The conference comes as efforts to advance Armenian-Turkish normalisation continue to place greater emphasis on economic and commercial links between the two neighbours.

The two-day gathering is expected to provide a platform for businesses from both countries to explore practical areas of cooperation and establish contacts that could support future cross-border commercial activity.

Hungary has blocked further progress in Ukraine’s European Union accession negotiations for the third time, linking its objection to what Budapest says are unresolved rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine’s Transcarpathia region.

The latest dispute emerged on September 1 at a meeting of the European Council’s Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession (COELA), its first session following the summer recess.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources in Brussels, Hungary refused to approve the screening results for Ukraine’s second and third negotiating clusters. Since decisions on opening negotiating clusters require the unanimous backing of all 27 EU member states, Budapest’s objection prevents the process from moving forward.

The second cluster covers the EU’s internal market, while the third focuses on competitiveness and inclusive growth.

The Hungarian government has said it will not support further steps in Ukraine’s accession talks until Kyiv takes measures that Budapest considers necessary to fulfil its commitments regarding national minority rights.

The issue centres on Ukraine’s ethnic Hungarian community in Transcarpathia, a region bordering Hungary.

The latest blockage comes despite a June agreement between Ukraine and Hungary that Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar described as ‘historic’. The agreement was aimed at strengthening guarantees for the educational, cultural, linguistic and political rights of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia.

However, the agreement has not resolved Budapest’s objections to Ukraine’s EU accession process.

Hungary had previously blocked technical preparations for Ukraine’s negotiating clusters 2 through 6. Budapest later lifted its objection to Cluster 6, which covers foreign and security policy, trade policy and relations with third countries.

The dispute has also affected Moldova’s accession process. In July, Hungary backed the advancement of Moldova’s Cluster 3, but EU member states, led by Ireland, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, opposed separating Moldova’s and Ukraine’s accession tracks. Neither country therefore made progress on the issue at that stage.

Ukraine formally launched EU accession negotiations in 2024. However, opening individual negotiating clusters requires unanimous approval from the bloc’s member states, giving Hungary considerable leverage over Kyiv’s accession timetable.

The latest Hungarian objection comes after EU governments formally opened the first negotiating cluster, ‘Fundamentals’, for Ukraine and Moldova on June 15.

Under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Budapest repeatedly opposed Ukraine’s EU membership and cited the rights of Hungary’s ethnic minority in Ukraine among its concerns. Orbán’s government had also delayed the opening of the first negotiating cluster.

Although the change in government in Budapest has altered Hungary’s broader approach to Ukraine, the latest dispute shows that Budapest still retains the ability to slow Kyiv’s path towards EU membership when it believes minority-rights commitments have not been sufficiently addressed.

Azerbaijani capoeiristas have won six medals, including four gold and two silver, at the Samsun Open International Tournament 2026 in Turkiye.

Farid Salimov, Shamkhal Huseynov, Raul Huseynov and Bahlul Nadirov secured gold medals, while Davud Ali and Subhan Rahimzada won silver.

It is worth noting that Elgiz Alizade, Vice President of the Azerbaijan Capoeira Federation, headed the first international judging course organized by the World Capoeira Federation (WCF) in Samsun, Turkiye.

The course brought together representatives from several countries and focused on the international judging system, competition rules and assessment criteria. Participants received both theoretical and practical training.

The WCF’s appointment of Alizade as head of its courses and seminars reflects the international recognition of his professional expertise and experience. It also strengthens Azerbaijan’s presence within the international capoeira community and contributes to the development of common judging standards under WCF rules.

Azerbaijan’s participation in the tournament was coordinated by the Azerbaijan Capoeira Federation (ACF), one of the founding members of the World Capoeira Federation.

The Azerbaijan Capoeira Federation was officially established in 2007, providing a formal organizational framework for the development of capoeira in the country.

Capoeira began gaining popularity in Azerbaijan in the late 1990s following the release of the film Only the Strong, which sparked interest in the art form among young people. The country’s first capoeira school was opened in Sumqayit by Emin Gurbanov, while the first school in Baku was established in 2000 by Taleh Orujov, who played an important role in the early development of capoeira in the capital.

Since its establishment, one of the ACF’s main objectives has been to develop capoeira as both a sport and a cultural practice in Azerbaijan. The federation organizes training programmes, seminars, competitions and Batizado belt examinations, giving practitioners opportunities to improve their skills and progress through different levels.

The ACF also supports local clubs, coaches and referees, helping to develop a structured capoeira network across the country.

International cooperation is another important part of the federation’s activities. Azerbaijani capoeiristas regularly participate in international workshops and championship events, while Azerbaijan has also hosted major competitions, including World Capoeira Federation World Championships in Baku.

Azerbaijan is also one of the founding members of the World Capoeira Federation, an international organization that promotes common standards for competition rules, coaching certification and referee training in capoeira worldwide.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel controls 60% of the Gaza Strip and that Israeli forces will remain along the current Yellow Line.

“We control the territory. We are not withdrawing. We are staying along this line,” Netanyahu said during a visit to an IDF post inside Gaza alongside senior military commanders.

He said Israel was continuing operations against militants and claimed the head of Hamas’s General Security Service was captured the previous day. “We will certainly learn a few things,” Netanyahu said. Netanyahu added that Israel’s goals remain disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza, saying there was still work to complete.

Speaking to AzerNEWS on the sidelines of the 4th International Mine Action Conference in Baku, UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan Nasar Hayat said mine action should be viewed not simply as the clearance of contaminated land, but as a broader process aimed at building peace, strengthening communities and restoring livelihoods.

Asked whether international organizations are adequately responding to Azerbaijan’s extensive mine contamination and what the UN’s plans are to help reduce the threat, Hayat emphasized the broader humanitarian dimension of mine action.

‘As I said in my speech, demining is not an action that’s only clearance of land. It’s an action to build peace. It’s an action to build the resilience of the communities. It’s also an action to rehabilitate people and to rehabilitate lives,’ he said.

Hayat described the scale of Azerbaijan’s mine contamination as enormous, while praising the progress made in clearing contaminated areas and supporting the return of displaced communities.

‘So the challenge that Azerbaijan is facing is enormous, as in many other places. But Azerbaijan has done really very well and has been able to significantly clear the mines, but also restore the lives and livelihoods of over 38,000 people who have returned back to their homeland,’ the UN official said.

According to Hayat, the UN and other international organizations can contribute global expertise and experience to Azerbaijan’s mine action efforts, while also using the country’s experience to inform mine action efforts elsewhere.

‘In terms of assistance that the international organizations can bring in, we bring in experience from across the world. We bring in expertise from across the world. And we also bring in the lessons learned from across the world,’ he said.

‘But it’s not a one-way journey. We not only bring in, but we take these lessons and these achievements outside to the world to achieve mine clearance and restore life and restore peace,’ Hayat added.

Asked whether the success of mine action should ultimately be measured by the number of square kilometers cleared or by what happens afterward-including the restoration of livelihoods, construction of homes and return of communities-Hayat said land clearance should be considered the starting point of a much broader process.

‘I think clearing the land is fundamental. But, you know, it’s partly completed because why do we need to clear these lands? The idea is to make these lands productive, restore the lives and livelihoods of people who live in this area or who used to live in these areas,’ he said.

‘So I think it’s a whole package that starts with mine clearance, but probably it ends at a lasting and long-term peace and livelihoods for the people in those areas,’ Hayat concluded.

“The relations between Azerbaijan and Slovakia, based on mutual respect, trust, and constructive dialogue, are gratifying,” President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in a congratulatory letter addressed to President of the Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini on the occasion of his country’s Constitution Day.

“In recent years, the development of political dialogue between our countries, the increase in high-level visits, and the expansion of the scope of our cooperation have further enriched the content of our bilateral relations,” the head of state added.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called on Greece to continue supporting Lebanon’s army and official security forces as Beirut works to address what he described as two major challenges: the continued presence of Israeli troops on Lebanese territory and the existence of weapons held by armed groups outside state control.

Aoun made the appeal during talks in Athens on Monday with Greek President Konstantinos Tasoulas and other senior officials, stressing that the two issues must be addressed ‘simultaneously and in parallel’ through a complete Israeli withdrawal and the extension of the Lebanese state’s exclusive authority across the country.

‘The objective of negotiations with Israel is to end the state of hostility,’ Aoun said at a press conference, referring to ongoing US-mediated diplomatic talks between Lebanon and Israel.

‘We are advocates of peace and insist on ending this state of hostility. Lebanon and its people are tired of wars,’ he added.

Aoun also called for the full implementation of a framework agreement signed by Lebanon, Israel and the United States at the end of June aimed at ending hostilities and establishing the basis for longer-term peace.

‘We ask Greece to help, as much as possible, to ensure the agreement is implemented,’ Aoun said, arguing that military approaches had failed and that diplomacy offered the best path forward.

He stressed that Lebanon’s stability was important not only for the country but also for the wider Middle East and Europe, warning that renewed instability could have broader regional consequences.

Important to notice, Israel and Greece have signed a pound 3 billion ($3.5 billion) defence agreement under which Israel will build a comprehensive, multi-layered air defence network for Greece, dubbed ‘Achilles Shield.’ The deal is the largest defence export agreement in the history of Israel-Greece relations and one of the largest in Israel’s history.

Tasoulas reaffirmed Greece’s support for Lebanon, saying that negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv could contribute to strengthening Lebanese sovereignty and prosperity while facilitating the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

Adopted in 2006 following the war between Israel and Hezbollah, Resolution 1701 established security arrangements along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Athens also intends to strengthen Lebanon’s relations with the European Union, according to Tasoulas.

Aoun’s visit comes as Beirut steps up diplomatic efforts ahead of a preparatory meeting in Paris on September 17 for a planned international conference aimed at mobilizing support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces.

France has invited military delegations and experts from several countries to participate in the meeting.

Lebanon is seeking international assistance on several fronts, including securing an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, addressing ceasefire violations, extending state authority throughout the country and preparing for the eventual withdrawal of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), whose mandate is due to expire in December.

Coinciding with Aoun’s visit to Athens, the Lebanese army received a second tranche of Greek military assistance. According to the army command, the latest donation included 13 M113 armored personnel carriers and 10 trucks.

The Lebanese military is expected to present a detailed assessment of its requirements at the Paris meeting, outlining the expanding responsibilities it faces as the UNIFIL presence is reduced.

A military source said Lebanese forces are being asked to deploy across the south, secure the country’s borders, combat terrorism and smuggling, maintain internal stability, enforce the state’s plan to place all weapons under its exclusive control and eventually assume additional responsibilities currently associated with the UN peacekeeping mission.

Among the army’s reported needs are vehicles, transportation and communications equipment, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, drones, radar, engineering equipment for tunnel detection and mine clearance, as well as funding for the construction of additional military positions.

Israel’s Channel 13 has reported new details of an alleged Mossad plan to overthrow Iran’s Islamic Republic by supporting a Kurdish armed incursion into northwestern Iran.

According to the report, the operation, code-named ‘Puss in Boots,’ was developed under former Mossad chief David Barnea following the June 2025 war with Iran. The plan reportedly envisioned Israeli and US airstrikes against Iranian Revolutionary Guard positions along the Iran-Iraq border, particularly in Iran’s Kurdish region, creating a corridor for Kurdish forces to enter Iranian territory.

Channel 13 reported that thousands of Kurdish fighters were brought to Israel for operational training as part of preparations for the proposed offensive. The Mossad reportedly expected the entry of the Kurdish forces to encourage thousands of additional young Kurds to join the movement and ultimately trigger a broader uprising against the Iranian government.

The strategy reportedly went beyond a limited Kurdish offensive. Israeli planners allegedly believed that a successful advance into northwestern Iran could spark mass demonstrations across the country and eventually lead to the collapse of the Islamic Republic.

A particularly striking element of the reported plan was the alleged role envisioned for former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. According to Channel 13, Mossad officials referred to him by the code name ‘The Friend’ and considered him as a potential political figure who could emerge following a regime collapse.

The proposed operation reportedly received initial US approval. During a February meeting between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, American officials asked about the readiness of the plan. Barnea reportedly estimated that overthrowing the Iranian government could take around a year, while then-Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir reportedly assessed that it could take as long as three years.

However, the plan was ultimately halted. According to Channel 13, Washington reversed its position roughly three days after the operation began, with a senior Israeli official quoted as saying that the US sent a message instructing the Kurdish forces to stop. Israeli officials reportedly attributed the reversal partly to pressure from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and opposition within the Trump administration, including from Vice President JD Vance.

The reports also indicate that Israeli strikes in northwestern Iran during the conflict were intended, at least in part, to facilitate the Kurdish advance by targeting Iranian security and military infrastructure in the region. The broader Kurdish operation, however, failed to develop as originally envisioned.

The allegations have not been independently verified in full, and Israeli authorities have not publicly confirmed the reported regime-change operation.

Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand cooperation in the oil and gas sector.

SOCAR said that its President Rovshan Najaf met with CNOOC Chairman Zhang Shengjian in Baku on September 1.

During the meeting, the sides discussed investment opportunities in offshore oil and gas exploration, development and production, as well as oil refining and petrochemicals.

They also reviewed opportunities for cooperation in international trade, the application of new technologies and efforts to improve operational efficiency.

As part of the meeting, SOCAR and CNOOC signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

The agreement envisages the implementation of joint upstream projects in Azerbaijan and other countries. It also provides for expanded cooperation in the oil and gas sector in areas including technical services, the supply of equipment and technologies, engineering, operations and technical support.

The agreement could provide a framework for the two companies to pursue joint upstream opportunities beyond Azerbaijan, while also strengthening cooperation in oil and gas technologies and services.