Category: Azer News

Unverified reports circulating on social media claim that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has launched heavy strikes against Israeli targets, allegedly including the use of thermobaric weapons, AzerNEWS reports.

The claims state that missiles and newly developed munitions were fired toward major cities such as Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem. However, there has been no official confirmation from Israeli authorities, the Iranian government, or independent international sources verifying the use of thermobaric bombs or the extent of the reported attacks.

Israel’s air defense systems have previously intercepted missiles and drones during periods of heightened regional escalation, but details regarding the latest reports remain unclear.

Given the rapidly evolving situation and the prevalence of misinformation during conflicts, confirmation from official military statements or credible international media outlets is still awaited.

Further updates will follow as verified information becomes available.

The play “The Oil Boom Smiles at Everyone”, based on the work of People’s Writer Maqsud Ibrahimbayov,has been staged at the Azerbaijan State Theatre of Young Spectators, AzerNEWS reports.

Leyla Aliyeva attended the performance, which was presented as part of the “The Oil Boom Smiles at Everyone” festival. The festival, dedicated to the writer’s creative legacy, has been held with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation from November 2025 to February 2026.

The production was directed by Konstantin Soldatov, with set design by Chingiz Babayev, choreography by Nigar Ibrahimbayli, and sound design by Konstantin Soldatov and Platon Soldatov.

The cast featured Honored Artists Shovgi Huseynov, Elnur Huseynov, Rasim Jafar, and actors Bahram Hasanov, Asya Atakishiyeva, Kerem Hadizade, Sabina Mammadova, Nurlan Suleymanli, Manaf Dadashov, Shabnam Huseynova, Rashad Safarov, Jeyhun Mammadov, Natiq Farzaliyev, Umman Budagov, Mirzaagha Mirzayev, Ramiq Nasirov, Adalat Abdulsamed, Huseyn Bayramov, and Mehriban Huseynova.

At the end of the event, Leyla Aliyeva met with the creative team of the performance.

It should be noted that the “The Oil Boom Smiles at Everyone” festival is a project of the Maqsud Ibrahimbayov Creative Center.

The United Arab Emirates is closing its embassy in Iran and recalling its ambassador following the barrage of Iranian attacks on its soil, according to a statement from the foreign ministry, AzerNEWS reports.

‘The UAE announces closure of its embassy in Tehran and withdrawal of its ambassador and all members of its diplomatic mission, and condemns the Iranian missile attacks,’ read a statement posted by Afra Al Hameli, the foreign ministry’s director of strategic communications, on social media.

The decision was made in response to ‘the blatant Iranian missile attacks that targeted the country’s territories, which constitute aggressive assaults that struck civilian sites, including residential areas, airports, ports, and service facilities, and exposed defenceless civilians to danger’.

Three U.S. Air Force fighter jets were shot down in Kuwait in an apparent friendly fire incident, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed today.

As reported by AzerNEWS, citing a CENTCOM statement, Kuwaiti air defense systems mistakenly targeted the American F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft late Sunday evening during active combat operations. The jets were flying in support of the U.S. military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury.

All six crew members successfully ejected, were recovered in search-and-rescue operations, and are reported to be in stable condition.

‘During active combat, including attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones, U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,’ CENTCOM said. The command added that Kuwait has acknowledged the incident and expressed gratitude for the swift response of Kuwaiti defense forces.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense had earlier reported that ‘several’ U.S. fighter jets had crashed but did not initially disclose the number of aircraft involved or the cause. Ministry spokesperson Col. Said Al-Atwan said authorities immediately launched rescue operations and transported the crews to hospitals for medical evaluation.

‘The crews were evacuated from the crash sites and transferred to hospital to assess their condition and provide necessary medical care,’ Al-Atwan said, noting that the personnel remain in stable condition. He added that Kuwait is in direct coordination with U.S. authorities regarding the incident.

Each F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft is valued at tens of millions of dollars. The cause of the friendly fire incident remains under investigation.

14:35

Several American warplanes crashed in Kuwait on Monday morning, but all crew members survived, AzerNEWS reports, citing Kuwait’s Defence Ministry, as regional tensions escalated amid a third consecutive day of Iranian strikes across the Gulf.

In a statement, a defence ministry spokesperson said: ‘Several US warplanes crashed this morning. We confirm that all crew members survived.’ The spokesperson added that the cause of the crashes remains under investigation.

Authorities launched immediate search-and-rescue operations, evacuating the crews and transferring them to hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. Officials said the personnel are in stable condition.

Meanwhile, Iran’s state broadcaster claimed that a US F-15 fighter jet had been shot down in Kuwait by Iranian air defence fire, but the claim has not been independently verified.

Earlier, widely circulated footage on social media appeared to show what looked like a US F-15 aircraft going down in Kuwait. The videos also showed a pilot descending by parachute and later being transported in a civilian vehicle. Authorities have not officially confirmed the authenticity of the footage or provided further details about the aircraft involved.

The 13th Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, has concluded in Bangkok.

As reported AzerNEWS, Azerbaijan was represented at the event by Adviser to the Minister of Economy Huseyn Huseynov, who served as Vice-Chair of the forum.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Huseynov outlined Azerbaijan’s achievements in advancing sustainable development, highlighting comprehensive structural and institutional reforms undertaken in recent years. He emphasized that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are being systematically implemented in alignment with the country’s national priorities.

Under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship, a session titled ‘Review of Regional Progress and Opportunities in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals’ assessed the Asia-Pacific region’s performance on the SDGs. Discussions focused on the role of the UN system at the regional level and the key challenges facing SDG implementation.

As part of the forum program, Azerbaijan also led plenary discussions on final accountability, review of delegation credentials, reporting sessions, and general commitments.

The outcomes of a roundtable dedicated to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), involving representatives from government agencies, the private sector, civil society, and academia, were presented during the general plenary session.

The forum brought together more than 1,200 participants from over 40 countries, including senior government officials, representatives of international organizations, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations. Key discussions centered on expanding access to clean water and sanitation, promoting affordable and clean energy, advancing industry, innovation and infrastructure, and fostering inclusive, safe, and sustainable cities. Participants also reviewed the outcomes of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has released new footage that appears to show a tunnel storing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and scenes of attacks on U.S. military installations, AzerNEWS reports.

The video, circulated on social media, highlights what Iran describes as its ongoing defensive and strategic capabilities.

The footage reportedly depicts multiple UAVs within an underground facility, followed by simulated or actual strikes on U.S. positions in the region.

The video release adds to a broader narrative of escalating tensions in the Middle East, as countries in the Gulf and beyond closely monitor Iran’s military capabilities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin conveyed his condolences to Iran over the assassination of the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, describing his killing as a “cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law”, AzerNEWS reports.

“In our country, Ayatollah Khamenei will be remembered as an outstanding statesman who made an enormous personal contribution to the development of friendly Russian-Iranian relations, elevating them to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership,” Putin said in a statement shared by the Kremlin.

Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Saturday, triggering threats of unprecedented retaliatory attacks coming from Iran’s top officials.

The public legal entity Reconstruction, Construction and Management Service in Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan regions has announced open tenders for several large-scale construction and restoration projects in the Gubadli region, AzerNEWS reports.

Residential and infrastructure construction in Khanlig

An open tender has been announced for the construction and installation of individual residential houses, multi-apartment buildings and engineering communication systems in the village of Khanlig, Gubadli region.

The estimated cost of the project is 94,807,114 manat (approximately $55.8 million USD, based on an exchange rate of 1 USD ˜ 1.7 AZN).

A separate tender has been announced for the construction and installation of non-residential buildings in the same village.

The estimated cost of this tender is 11,982,596 AZN (approximately $7.05 million USD).

Rainwater and flood management project

In addition, a tender has been opened for construction work under a project aimed at managing rainwater and flood waters in the villages of Zilanli, Mahruzlu and Khanlig in the Gubadli region.

The estimated cost of this project is 14,945,422 manat (approximately $8.79 million USD).

The official exchange rate of the Azerbaijani manat against the U.S. dollar remained unchanged this week, AzerNEWS reports, citing the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA).

According to the CBA, the weighted average rate at the end of the week stood at 1.7 manat (1.00 USD) per dollar.

The official exchange rate of the manat against the euro decreased by 0.0016 manat this week, while the weighted average rate fell by 0.00256 manat, reaching 2.00654 manat (approximately 1.18 USD) per euro.

Meanwhile, the official exchange rate of the manat against 100 Russian rubles increased by 0.0017 manat. However, the weighted average declined by 0.00192 manat, amounting to 2.21268 manat (approximately 1.30 USD) per 100 rubles.

The manat also slightly weakened against the Turkish lira. The official exchange rate dipped by 0.0001 manat to 0.0388 manat (approximately 0.023 USD) per lira, while the weighted average rate decreased by 0.00014 manat to 0.03876 manat (approximately 0.023 USD).

On March 1, 2026, a telephone conversation took place between Jeyhun Bayramov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, AzerNEWS reports.

During their discussion, the main focus was on the military clashes and heightened tensions in the security environment observed recently in the Middle East. Both officials expressed their deep concern regarding the situation. They highlighted the risks that the current military escalation poses to regional stability and emphasized the importance of adhering to international law while resolving conflicts through dialogue and political means.

The ministers agreed that ensuring the safety of the civilian population and infrastructure is a top priority. Minister Jeyhun Bayramov extended his condolences for the civilian casualties resulting from the conflict.

In addition, the ministers exchanged views on other matters of mutual interest.