Category: Azer News

On September 29, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev made a phone call to President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian.

The head of state congratulated President Masoud Pezeshkian on his birthday, wishing him good health, long life, and success in his activities.

The President of Iran expressed his gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the attention and congratulations.

During the phone conversation, the two leaders fondly recalled their recent meeting in Bishkek and the issues that were discussed during that meeting.

The Presidents noted that a delegation of the Government of Azerbaijan is currently visiting Iran, where discussions are underway regarding issues on the agenda of bilateral relations.

The opening ceremony of an exhibition of Azerbaijani carpets dedicated to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as part of the “Heavenly Religions” project was held at the Holy See on September 29.

Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva attended the event.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State Sister Raffaella Petrini stated that culture and memory are the main pillars of peace, saying: “The exhibition aims to create an opportunity for dialogue among different religions, peoples, cultures, languages, and traditions. This is also a tribute to Azerbaijan, where the roots of the art of carpet weaving are deeply connected to the country’s traditions. The carpets exhibited here today are not only valuable examples created by highly skilled artisans, but also embody identity and humanity.”

Raffaella Petrini noted that the exhibits are also ambassadors of the values of interfaith dialogue, stating that, while creating concrete opportunities for such talks, the exhibition serves as a further confirmation of the excellent bilateral character of relations between Azerbaijan and the Vatican.

Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the Holy See Ilgar Mukhtarov mentioned that the carpet has always been a factor connecting East and West in Azerbaijan’s rich cultural heritage, pointing out that Azerbaijan was an important part of the historic Silk Road for centuries and became one of the region’s main centers for silk production and carpet weaving.

Stating that the three carpets presented today constitute a unique artistic triptych dedicated to universal human values, the Ambassador noted: “During an eight-year working process, an artistic synthesis between faith, dialogue, and tolerance was achieved while maintaining full respect for the traditions of all three religions. In our country, the free spirit of the Azerbaijani people manifests itself not only in tolerance, but also in genuine respect for houses of worship and sacred heritage. This spirit has shaped a unique example of peaceful coexistence in Azerbaijan that is demonstrated to the entire world. In this sense, the carpets presented today are extremely valuable works of art.”

Director of the Vatican Museums Barbara Jatta noted that Rome has always built bridges to share beauty and ideas, saying: “These magnificent carpets are displayed in one of the most prestigious sections of the Vatican Museums – the Museum Anima Mundi. As you know, ‘Anima Mundi’ means ‘soul of the world’, and we decided to name this section of the museum as such over the past decade. This part of the museum is one of its most special corners. Four continents of the world are represented in this reconstructed space: Australia, Africa, America, and Asia. Together with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, our goal is to bring these together. Thousands of visitors who come to the museum every day have the opportunity to see these works that unite different cultures and faiths.”

Director of the National Carpet Museum Amina Melikova noted that this work marks the beginning of a new era in the art of carpet weaving in Azerbaijan, stating that 28 women implemented the idea of “Heavenly Religions” for the first time over eight years.

According to her, Azerbaijan has always been a space of peace where representatives of different religions can live together. “For us, the carpet is a value higher than craftsmanship or traditional art. We know that every traditional art demonstrates the spirit of a nation. Thus, today it is possible to see the spirit of Azerbaijan and its people in these three carpets,” added A. Melikova.

The guests then toured the exhibition.

The artwork is dedicated to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, embodying deep philosophical thought and the spirit of national craftsmanship. All three carpets symbolize different religions and cultures individually, but when brought together, they express humanity’s shared values of peace, mercy, and justice. The project is an embodiment of universal values stemming from the depths of Azerbaijani culture and its cultural diplomacy strategy.

The European Commission has presented a five-point action plan aimed at strengthening the resilience and security of the European Union’s (EU) external borders, preventing sudden and large-scale flows of irregular migrants, and ensuring a rapid response to such situations.

According to the Commission, although irregular border crossings have fallen to their lowest level since 2021, recent developments have demonstrated the need to adapt existing mechanisms to emergency situations.

The document also proposes expanding the mandate of Frontex, developing a new “European Emergency Response Framework,” and improving the monitoring of online activities related to irregular migration.

EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said the new plan would strengthen the protection of the EU’s external borders by reinforcing Frontex, enhancing the bloc’s capacity to respond to emergencies, and deepening cooperation with countries of origin and transit.

The five-point plan will be presented to EU member states at the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting scheduled for October 1-2.

Armenia’s Ombudsman Anahit Manasyan has said that some of the problems concerning the detention conditions of former President Robert Kocharyan and former Finance Minister Gagik Khachatryan have been resolved.

Manasyan said she had previously raised concerns over the conditions of their detention with the country’s penitentiary authorities.

However, she noted that problems requiring a systemic solution remain at the Yerevan-Kentron penitentiary institution, where Kocharyan and Khachatryan are being held.

The Ombudsman said she plans to raise the remaining issues with the relevant authorities.

The comments follow earlier media reports concerning the conditions in which Kocharyan was being held. According to those reports, the former president was kept in a single cell measuring approximately 5 metres by 3 metres.

The reports also said that the cell contained a bunk bed, which occupied additional space, while no table or chair was provided.

Manasyan did not provide further details on which specific problems had already been resolved or what measures would be required to address the remaining issues.

The Ombudsman’s latest comments put renewed attention on conditions at the Yerevan-Kentron facility and the treatment of high-profile detainees in Armenia’s penitentiary system.

The IV Aerospace Modeling Festival took place on 26 July 2026 at Fuzuli International Airport. It was the first time in Azerbaijan’s history that an aerospace modeling festival was held at an international airport. Two days later, on 28 July, the winners were honoured at the Innovations Center in Baku.

The festival was jointly organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Innovations Center of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the National Aviation Academy, and the “Support to the Development of New Technologies Public Union.”

A new aerospace platform in Karabakh

Opened in 2021, Fuzuli International Airport is the first international airport in the Karabakh region. Hosting the festival there opened new opportunities for aerospace and technical creativity in the region. Seeing aviation infrastructure serve the work of young engineers gave the event a special symbolic meaning.

Trkiye’s first astronaut, Alper Gezeravci, attended as guest of honour. His presence was an inspiring moment for the young participants.

Strong interest from international universities

The festival attracted strong interest from universities abroad. Students from the following institutions took part actively with their own projects:

Imperial College London, United Kingdom;

Institut Polytechnique de Paris and Université Paris-Saclay, France;

Erciyes University, Trkiye;

Turin Polytechnic University in Tashkent, Uzbekistan;

National Aerospace University ‘Kharkiv Aviation Institute’, Ukraine.

International guests included a coordinator from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, the First Vice-Rector of Tashkent State Pedagogical University named after Nizami, the Rector and First Vice-Rector of Kharkiv Aviation University, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Azerbaijan, and the Ukrainian military attaché.

12 competition categories, an air show and demonstrations

Now in its fourth edition, the festival was held in two stages. Competitions ran in 12 categories: S-3-B Parachute, S-3-C Parachute, S-4-D Rocket Glider, S-6-A Streamer, S-6-B Streamer, S-6-C Streamer, Satellite Modeling (CubeSat), Aerospace Startup, FPV Drone, Aircraft Modeling, Wireless Communication and Direction Finding. Wireless Communication and Direction Finding joined the programme for the first time in 2026.

The programme also featured an air show and demonstration flights of quadcopter and aircraft models. Judges assessed flight altitude and duration, landing accuracy, the models’ technical characteristics and the realism of flight.

Winners honoured in Baku

The award ceremony took place on 28 July 2026 at the Innovations Center in Baku. It was attended by Vusal Rustamov, Director of the Innovations Center; Member of Parliament Sadiq Gurbanov; Ramil Jabbarov, Adviser to the Minister of Youth and Sports; Nurali Yusifbeyli, Rector of Sumgayit State University; Rufat Zamanov, Chairman of the Republican Committee of the Trade Union of Oil and Gas Industry Workers of Azerbaijan; the Rector and First Vice-Rector of Kharkiv Aviation University; and representatives of state institutions and partner organizations.

The ceremony opened with a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs who gave their lives for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, followed by the National Anthem. A video presenting the festival’s highlights was then screened.

First, second and third place winners in all 12 categories received medals, trophies and diplomas. Active participants were awarded certificates.

Thanks to partners

Certificates of appreciation were presented to representatives of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Innovations Center, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Fuzuli District Executive Authority, the State Support Agency for NGOs, the Main Customs Department for Air Transport, the Azerbaijan Air Force, Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), AZAD Systems, ASAN Visa, ASAN TV, ASELSAN Baku, Hadaf Lyceum, IT Innovations Academy, AzST LLC and ORBITE LLC for their support in organizing the festival.

A launchpad for future engineers

The festival aims to advance rocket and satellite modeling in Azerbaijan, encourage innovative thinking among young people, promote a healthy lifestyle and make technical creativity accessible to all. Across its editions, the festival has received nearly 1,500 applications from different regions of the country.

The IV Aerospace Modeling Festival showed once again that Azerbaijan is building a broad platform for aerospace modeling, technical creativity and international cooperation.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has warned that declining funding could leave around 8.3 million refugees and internally displaced people without assistance this year and lead to the collapse of protection systems in some countries.

The agency has received only 32% of the $8.5 billion it requested for 2026 as of July, leaving a funding shortfall of $5.7 billion.

UNHCR said the funding gap is severely affecting refugee registration, child protection and services for survivors of gender-based violence. The agency estimates that the number of people under its mandate will reach 131.2 million by the end of 2026. It has already reduced its workforce by 33% in 2025, closed offices in 140 locations and suspended operations in 15 countries.

The agency also warned that further cost-cutting measures would not be enough to offset the funding shortfall.

“When registration stops, safe houses close or child protection services disappear, the very risks that people fled – violence, exploitation and abuse – reappear in displacement, trapping families in a cycle of vulnerability and forcing some to move again in search of safety or fall prey to traffickers,” said Dominique Hyde, UNHCR’s Director of External Relations.

According to him, protection cannot be reduced indefinitely without systems collapsing.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has vowed to burn the body of late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and the bodies of other Palestinians involved in the October 7 attack if he becomes defense minister in Israel’s next government.

Speaking in an interview with Israeli public broadcaster Kan Reshet Bet on Tuesday, Ben-Gvir reiterated his demand to receive the defense portfolio following Israel’s upcoming election.

‘After I get the defense portfolio, I will make sure to burn Sinwar’s body and the bodies of the October 7th terrorists. As Defense Minister, I will lead a significant change in approach,’ Ben-Gvir said, according to Israeli media.

The remarks come during Israel’s election campaign, with Ben-Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit, or Jewish Power, party seeking control of senior government portfolios as part of its demands for participating in a future coalition.

Ben-Gvir announced last week that he would demand the Defense Ministry for himself in the next government. He also presented a security agenda that includes encouraging what he describes as the ‘voluntary emigration’ of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, disarming the Palestinian Authority and arresting senior PA officials whom he accuses of supporting terrorism.

The national security minister has a history of criminal convictions. In 2007, he was convicted of incitement to racism against Arabs and supporting Kach, a group that was on Israeli and US terrorism blacklists.

Ben-Gvir has also repeatedly called for the re-establishment of Israeli settlements in Gaza.

Speaking at a rally organized by the Nahala settler movement near the Gaza border on Sunday, he again expressed his ambition to become defense minister and advocated Israeli settlement throughout the enclave.

‘I hope, with God’s help, to be the defense minister of the State of Israel, to return us to Nisanit, and to the entire northern perimeter, and to all of Gaza! To settle more and more!’ he said.

Sinwar, who headed Hamas in Gaza during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack and later became chairman of the group’s political bureau, was killed by Israeli troops in Rafah in October 2024.

Israeli forces recovered his body following the firefight, and it was subsequently transferred to an undisclosed location under Israeli military control.

Cremation is prohibited under Islamic burial practices, which generally require the deceased to be buried.

Ben-Gvir’s latest remarks form part of a broader hardline platform he has presented ahead of the election. Beyond his proposals concerning Gaza and the Palestinian Authority, he has called for changes to Israeli military rules of engagement and other security policies should he obtain the defense portfolio.

Nvidia Corporation CEO Jensen Huang said on Monday that OpenAI “absolutely” is a “great investment,” despite the incident with its AI agents that broke containment to hack the open-source AI platform Hugging Face.

Speaking in an interview with CNBC, Huang said that it is a “privilege” to work with OpenAI, and that he would like the AI company to be involved in Nvidia’s new project, Open Agent Safety Platform, whether it is by using the platform itself or being inspired by it and creating another similar platform. He also said that he hopes more companies will join the platform, so that it becomes more “robust” and “resilient.”

The Nvidia CEO also stated that the safety problems with AI agents are “solvable,” and the focus on a rights-provisioning system is crucial. He noted that Nvidia Sentry will be able to monitor the AI agents’ behavior because the chip is placed between the agent and the large language model (LLM) and it intercepts “everything.”

The United States has deployed two squadrons of fighter jets to Israel’s Ovda Airbase in the south of the country, according to Israel’s Channel 12.

The aircraft arrived at the base over the past day and joined other US fighter jets already stationed there, the Israeli network reported.

Israeli security officials cited by Channel 12 said the deployment was part of broader US military movements and repositioning across the Middle East rather than an indication of a new escalation with Iran.

The officials stressed that transferring the aircraft from another location to Israel did not represent a change in the level of US military readiness concerning Iran.

‘The Americans are still ‘very far’ from the force buildup they had on the eve of the war in Iran,’ a security official was quoted as saying.

The US military has been rotating fighter units across the Middle East in recent weeks, bringing fresh aircraft and personnel into the region while allowing units that have been deployed for extended periods to return to their home bases.

Ovda Airbase, located in the Negev Desert in southern Israel, has previously hosted US military aircraft.

Earlier in 2026, US F-22 Raptor stealth fighters were deployed to Ovda amid heightened military tensions with Iran. Those aircraft were subsequently withdrawn from the base in July.

The latest deployment comes as the US continues to reposition military assets throughout the Middle East to maintain operational readiness and flexibility.

However, Israeli security sources cited by Channel 12 emphasized that the current US military presence remains significantly below the force levels assembled ahead of previous major operations against Iran.

Neither the US Department of Defense nor Israeli authorities had publicly confirmed the deployment at the time of the report. The specific fighter squadrons involved and the types of aircraft deployed to Ovda were also not immediately disclosed.

Argentina has given the United Kingdom a two-week ultimatum to halt oil production at the Sea Lion field near the Falkland Islands. Otherwise, Buenos Aires plans to take the case to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

Argentina is demanding that the UK take measures within two weeks to prevent oil production near the Falkland Islands, which Argentina refers to as the Malvinas. The demand was outlined in a statement by the office of Argentine President Javier Milei.

If the UK fails to comply, Argentina intends to file a case with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

ITLOS is an international court established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Based in Hamburg, Germany, it handles disputes between states concerning maritime boundaries, rights to marine resources, navigation and other issues governed by the convention. The tribunal can order legally binding provisional measures, including requiring certain activities to be suspended pending a final resolution of a dispute.

The Sea Lion project is at the center of the dispute. It is being developed by UK-based Rockhopper Exploration and Israel’s Navitas Petroleum. The field is located about 220 kilometers from the Falkland Islands and is estimated to contain up to 1.7 billion barrels of oil.

The latest demand is another step by Buenos Aires against oil companies operating in the area around the Falkland Islands. Argentine authorities have previously initiated legal proceedings against Navitas Petroleum, as well as Canadian companies JHI Associates and Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas.