Category: Azer News

Iran has been invited to join the Mecca Agreement on collective defense, Iranian Parliament Press Service chief Mehdi Rahimi said in an interview with Al Mayadeen TV.

According to Rahimi, the Iranian authorities are currently considering the proposal.

He also stressed that creating a ‘security umbrella’ among countries in the region would be in Iran’s interests. Rahimi said that Tehran has been calling for such an initiative for a long time.

Rahimi said the United States, instead of fulfilling its promises to ensure the security of regional countries, is threatening their security.

On August 7, Saudi Arabia, Trkiye and Pakistan signed a collective defense agreement in Mecca. Under the agreement, an attack on any one of the participating countries would be considered an attack on all three.

US President Donald Trump has expressed support for the agreement.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and First Lady Ziroatkhon Mirziyoyeva posed for a joint photograph at the Kuksaroy State Residence in Tashkent.

Around 10,000 people are expected to turn out for a climate demonstration in Stockholm on Sunday, according to Swedish police and organizers, just weeks ahead of a general election where the issue is among voters’ top concerns, AzerNEWS reports, citing Arab News.

Since taking power in 2022, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s right-wing government, backed by the populist Sweden Democrats party, has cut petrol taxes and reduced requirements for petrol suppliers to add low-carbon alternatives to their mix.

Experts both in Sweden and abroad have repeatedly warned that the government’s climate policy jeopardizes the country’s emissions-cutting goals – to reduce CO2 from transport by 70 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045.

Kristersson’s administration has notably rejected a government-appointed commission’s recommendations on ways to meet the 2030 target, which included phasing out fossil fuels by hiking taxes on petrol and diesel.

‘The climate crisis is very real, and it is here,’ said Beatrice Rindevall, head of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, which is co-organizing Sunday’s demonstration.

‘It is time to put in place a climate policy that reduces emissions right now,’ she added in a statement, pointing to this summer’s devastating heatwaves in Europe.

Swedes go to the polls to elect a new parliament on September 13, with the right-wing bloc trailing in opinion polls.

More than 200 non-governmental organizations and associations are expected to take part in Sunday’s march, which is due to start at 1:00 p.m. (1100 GMT).

It will bring together researchers, youth and sports associations, trade unions, outdoor and rural organizations, religious communities, and rights groups.

‘Never before have so many organizations taken part in a Swedish climate demonstration,’ Rindevall said. ‘The commitment is massive.’

According to a Verian opinion poll published by public broadcaster SVT on Thursday, 37 percent of respondents said the climate was their top priority in the election, behind only health care, education, crime and elderly care.

The government has argued that the phase-out of fossil fuels must be gradual in order to preserve and strengthen Sweden’s competitiveness and its companies.

Estonia is mourning the death of former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Siim Kallas, a prominent figure in the country’s post-Soviet transformation and its drive towards European integration.

Kallas died overnight on Friday at the age of 77, his daughter, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, announced on Saturday.

Estonia’s Foreign Ministry paid tribute to Kallas, saying he played an important role in the restoration of the country’s independence and in building Estonia as a free state. The ministry said his years in public service helped shape Estonia’s return to Europe.

Kallas served as Estonia’s prime minister from 2002 to 2003 and as foreign minister from 1995 to 1996. He later became a European Commissioner, serving from 2004 to 2014 and holding the position of vice-president of the European Commission.

During his time as prime minister, Estonia completed accession negotiations with the European Union, helping clear the way for the country’s EU membership. Estonia also joined NATO in 2004, completing a broader strategic shift towards Western institutions.

Kallas was also a key figure in Estonia’s economic transformation following the restoration of independence. As president of the Bank of Estonia from 1991 to 1995, he was involved in the country’s monetary reforms and the introduction of the kroon in 1992.

His European career further cemented his role in shaping Estonia’s place within the EU. He served as European Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud before becoming Commissioner for Transport, while also serving as a Commission vice-president.

European and Estonian officials have paid tribute to Kallas following news of his death, highlighting his contribution to Estonia’s independence, European integration and public life.

Kallas is survived by his family, including his daughter Kaja Kallas, who served as Estonia’s prime minister from 2021 to 2024 before becoming the EU’s foreign policy chief.

Azerbaijan’s national team of teenage judokas has delivered a strong performance at an international tournament in Ordu, Turkiye, winning four medals.

According to the Azerbaijan Judo Federation, all four members of the Azerbaijani team competing at the tournament secured medals.

Garib Atabayev (55 kg), Raul Malikzade (60 kg) and Nihad Malikli (+90 kg) defeated all of their opponents to claim gold medals. Meanwhile, Muhammad Sattarov (60 kg) finished the competition with a bronze medal.

The Azerbaijani team competed under the guidance of coach Orkhan Safarov, collecting a total of three gold and one bronze medal at the tournament.

First Lady of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva and her daughter Leyla Aliyeva, together with First Lady of the Republic of Uzbekistan Ziroatkhon Mirziyoyeva and her daughters Saida and Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva, visited the Islamic Civilization Center in Tashkent.

The center was established by a decision of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Covering an area of more than 10 hectares, the center was built in the architectural style of the ancient monuments of Samarkand. It features a 65-meter-high dome.

The center houses several departments, including a department responsible for maintaining the national register of rare manuscripts, a manuscript fund, a library, and archives. Artifacts and works from various historical periods are displayed here. The creative heritage of ancestors is presented using modern technologies and digital devices.

The center’s building houses a library containing 100,000 manuscripts and more than one million books. The museum exposition consists of halls titled ‘Pre-Islamic Civilizations,’ ‘First Renaissance Period,’ ‘Second Renaissance Period,’ ‘Uzbekistan in the 20th Century,’ ‘New Uzbekistan – Foundation of the Third Renaissance,’ and ‘Holy Quran.’

The ‘Holy Quran’ hall, located at the center of the exposition, preserves the spiritual gem of the Muslim world – the ‘Quran of Uthman.’ Handwritten copies of the Quran created in different periods, as well as translations into Uzbek, are presented in the hall.

Hundreds of scientists, experts, as well as religious and public figures participated in the implementation of the project. The center collaborates with a number of international organizations, including UNESCO and ICESCO.

Iran and Russia are close to officially signing an executive contract for the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway, a key project within the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

The document has already been finalized and is expected to be signed soon by representatives of Tehran and Moscow, Iran’s IRNA news agency reported.

The Rasht-Astara railway is considered a strategically important link in the INSTC, which is designed to improve transport connectivity between Iran, Russia and other countries along the route.

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have stepped up efforts to expand economic cooperation, attract investment and develop joint projects as nearly 400 companies from both countries gathered in Tashkent for the fourth Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan Interregional Forum.

The forum was organised with the support of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economy and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, and jointly hosted by Azerbaijan’s Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO) and Uzbekistan’s Agency for Attracting Foreign Investments.

Government officials and businesses representing heavy industry, machinery, metallurgy and metal processing, construction, textiles, agriculture, food, tourism, education, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, engineering, mining, chemicals, furniture, electrical engineering, automotive manufacturing, leather goods and plastics participated in the event.

Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said the rapid development of bilateral relations, driven by the political will of the two countries’ presidents, was creating fresh momentum for diversifying economic ties and strengthening business partnerships.

Jabbarov highlighted the positive trajectory of economic relations between the two strategic partners and pointed to opportunities to strengthen regional connectivity. He also stressed that cooperation was developing not only at the intergovernmental level but increasingly between cities and regions.

The forum focused on opportunities to expand cooperation in industry, investment, trade, energy, transport and transit, digitalisation and agriculture, while strengthening direct links between businesses.

The Middle Corridor emerged as one of the key areas of discussion. Officials said Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan should seek to transform the route from a transit corridor into a broader economic platform capable of generating additional value.

Achieving that goal, they said, would require closer coordination of rail and maritime transport, optimisation of tariffs and expanded digital information exchange.

The two sides also highlighted investment opportunities in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh and East Zangazur regions, where government-backed infrastructure and investment incentives are being developed to attract private-sector investment.

Uzbekistan’s support for the reconstruction of Azerbaijan’s formerly occupied territories was described as an important symbol of the close ties between the two countries.

Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov said economic relations with Azerbaijan were developing consistently, with significant opportunities to increase mutual trade and investment, strengthen direct business links between regions and launch new joint projects.

AZPROMO Executive Director Yusif Abdullayev and Roksana Nesor, acting director of Uzbekistan’s Agency for Attracting Foreign Investments, presented the investment and export potential of the two countries and outlined support mechanisms available to businesses.

Officials from Baku, Tashkent, Tashkent Region, Namangan, as well as Azerbaijan’s Agdam, Fuzuli, Khojavand and Bilasuvar regions, also discussed opportunities for expanding interregional cooperation.

Business representatives from Uzavtosanoat and AzerShakar outlined opportunities for expanding commercial cooperation and promoting joint projects.

The forum concluded with the exchange of a number of documents covering cooperation in areas including energy, finance, infrastructure, construction and manufacturing.

The agreements are aimed at strengthening ties between business associations, unlocking private-sector potential and facilitating the implementation of joint projects.

The event also featured business-to-business meetings between companies from Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

Another shipment from Russia to Armenia was dispatched through Azerbaijani territory on August 22, further expanding a transit route that has become increasingly active since Azerbaijan lifted restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia.

According to the latest shipment information, nine wagons carrying 630 tons of wheat and one wagon carrying 36 tons of propane were sent from Bilajari railway station toward Boyuk Kesik.

Since the transit arrangements began, more than 49,000 tons of grain, around 9,000 tons of fertilizer, 1,136 tons of propane, 133 tons of aluminum, 1,114 tons of coal and 67 tons of timber have been transported from Russia to Armenia through Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan has also supplied Armenia directly with energy products. So far, approximately 15,000 tons of diesel fuel and around 5,000 tons of AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline have been exported from Azerbaijan to Armenia.

The transit process marks a significant change in regional trade routes. In October 2025, President Ilham Aliyev announced that Azerbaijan had lifted restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia that had been imposed during the occupation period. He said at the time that the first shipment had already passed through Azerbaijan, involving Kazakh grain destined for Armenia.

Russian cargo subsequently began using the route in increasing volumes. By February 1, 2026, around 19,900 tons of Russian grain in 285 wagons had already passed through Azerbaijan toward Armenia.

The shipments have continued to accelerate throughout 2026. By late May, more than 28,000 tons of Russian grain and over 4,000 tons of fertilizer had transited Azerbaijan, while by late June the cumulative volume had exceeded 33,000 tons of grain and 7,000 tons of fertilizer.

The route currently does not involve a reopened direct Azerbaijan-Armenia railway connection. Cargo dispatched from Bilajari toward Boyuk Kesik subsequently continues through Georgia before reaching Armenia, as the direct railway between Azerbaijan and Armenia remains out of operation for now.

The United States has imposed 50% tariffs on around $20 billion worth of Canadian products, with Canada immediately vowing to retaliate after last-minute negotiations failed to resolve the latest dispute between the two countries.

The new tariffs, which took effect early Saturday, cover roughly 5% of Canada’s annual exports to the United States and affect a range of products, including hockey sticks, tongue depressors and other Canadian-made goods.

The move further escalates an already tense trade relationship between the two North American neighbours and raises fresh questions about the future of the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA).

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa would respond with equivalent measures.

‘Canada will match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses,’ Carney said in a statement.

Canada had been seeking concessions from Washington on tariffs affecting key sectors, including steel, aluminium, automobiles and lumber. However, the negotiations broke down shortly before the new measures took effect.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer blamed Canada for the collapse of the talks, saying Ottawa had rejected the terms of a proposed agreement.

‘Tonight, Canada declined to finalise the trade deal under the terms agreed earlier this week,’ Greer said. He added that the United States had offered Canada ‘the best treatment of any major exporter to our market,’ but accused Ottawa of introducing new demands and reversing previous commitments.

Carney rejected Washington’s account of the negotiations, saying the breakdown resulted from changes made by the US administration at the last minute.

‘Last-minute changes in the US proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal,’ Carney said.

He subsequently suspended negotiations and instructed Canada’s negotiating team to return to Ottawa.

Carney also said the Canadian government would announce additional measures to support workers and businesses affected by the tariffs in the coming days.