Category: Azer News

Amid ongoing military operations in the Middle East, an increasing flow of information across media platforms and social networks is raising concerns about potential confusion within society, AzerNEWS reports.

AzerNEWS reports that the warning was issued in a statement by the Media Development Agency of Azerbaijan (MEDIA).

‘In a situation where the risks of disinformation are high, we call on all media entities to rely only on information from official sources and not to allow information manipulation. We call on journalists and public activists to disseminate only official information and to refrain from sharing information that causes concern in society,’ the statement said.

The agency emphasized the importance of responsible journalism during periods of heightened regional tension, underlining that the spread of unverified information could contribute to unnecessary anxiety and destabilization.

MEDIA urged media representatives and social media users alike to exercise caution and professionalism while covering developments related to the situation in the Middle East.

The evacuation of citizens from both Azerbaijan and other countries in Iran is ongoing.

According to AzerNEWS, between 08:00 on February 28 and 22:00 on March 1, a total of 192 individuals were evacuated from Iran.

Among those evacuated were 82 Azerbaijanis, 28 Pakistanis, 18 citizens of Saudi Arabia, and 18 Chinese citizens. Additionally, 6 citizens from the UAE, 17 Tajiks, 4 Jordanians, and 3 individuals each from Qatar and Bangladesh were included in the evacuation. The list also featured 2 Filipinos and 2 Nepalese citizens. Furthermore, one person each was evacuated from Turkey, Italy, Pakistan, Poland, Tunisia, Lebanon, India, France, and Brazil.

A large-scale humanitarian operation is currently in motion to extract foreign nationals from Iran as regional conflict reaches a critical flashpoint.

AzerNEWS reports that comprehensive measures have been established to facilitate these departures, with the evacuation process remaining active and ongoing.

In the period spanning from 08:00 on February 28 to 16:00 on March 1, a total of 123 individuals were successfully evacuated across the border. This multinational group included 54 citizens of Azerbaijan, 18 from Saudi Arabia, and 18 from China. The evacuation manifest also recorded 6 citizens from the UAE, 5 from Tajikistan, 4 from Jordan, and 3 each from Qatar and Bangladesh. Additionally, the group included 2 Filipinos, 2 Nepalese citizens, and one national each from Italy, Pakistan, Poland, Tunisia, Lebanon, India, France, and Brazil.

This urgent exodus follows the total collapse of diplomatic efforts regarding Iran’s nuclear program. After a second round of failed talks in mid-February led to a massive U.S. military buildup in Europe and the Middle East, a final “last chance” summit was held in Geneva on February 26 under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Those talks ended without an agreement as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment or dismantle its nuclear infrastructure.

The geopolitical landscape shifted violently on the morning of February 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated military airstrikes across Iran. Reports confirm that the strikes resulted in the deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and several members of his family.

The Iranian military command structure has also suffered catastrophic losses. Confirmed fatalities from the strikes include the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Army, Major General Abdulrahim Mousavi, and the Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, Mohammad Pakpour. Furthermore, Ali Shamkhani, Advisor to the Supreme Leader and Secretary of the Defense Council, along with Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, were killed during the targeted aerial campaign.

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Evacuations from Iran to Azerbaijan are ongoing.

According to AzerNEWS, foreign citizens, employees of foreign embassies in Iran, and diplomats are also being evacuated alongside Azerbaijani citizens.

Relevant state agencies in Azerbaijan are actively implementing the necessary measures for this operation.

Special buses have been designated for the safe transport of citizens, and emergency medical teams have been deployed to the area. Additionally, other operational services are on standby to assist as needed.

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Evacuation efforts from Iran through the Astara border crossing are continuing amid the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East, AzerNEWS reports.

According to official and media reports, between 08:00 on February 28 and 14:00 on March 1, a total of 53 Azerbaijani citizens were evacuated from Iran into Azerbaijan.

In addition to Azerbaijani nationals, safe passage into Azerbaijan has been ensured for several foreign citizens and diplomatic delegations. Among those evacuated are 18 members of a Saudi Arabian diplomatic delegation, five citizens of Tajikistan, four citizens of Jordan, three citizens of Qatar, and one Italian citizen.

Earlier, Azerbaijan also facilitated the crossings of citizens from other countries, including citizens from Bangladesh, Qatar and Pakistan, who were escorted into Azerbaijan through the same border point.

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.

Escalating processes in the Middle East have significantly disrupted global air travel, affecting hundreds of flights from various regions around the world.

AzerNEWS reports, citing aviation analytics firm Cirium, that 966 out of 4,218 flights scheduled to operate to the Middle East on Saturday were canceled. Including outbound flights from the region, the total number of cancellations exceeded 1,800.

On Sunday, of the 4,329 flights scheduled for the Middle East, 716 had already been canceled by early reporting, with expectations that the number would continue to rise throughout the day.

Major Gulf carriers – Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways – are reported to be among the most affected. More than 90,000 passengers use these airlines daily for transit connections alone, amplifying the impact of the disruptions.

Europe’s largest airline group, Lufthansa Group, has suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil and Tehran until March 7.

Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air has halted all flights to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia until March 7.

Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines has suspended flights to 10 countries in the Middle East, while services to other destinations continue to operate as scheduled.

Airlines are closely monitoring the situation, with further schedule adjustments possible depending on developments in the region.

Pope Leo XIV expressed his “deep concern” over the situation in Iran and the escalation of tensions across the Middle East region after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Tehran, provoking a fierce response by the Iranian forces, AzerNEWS reports.

The pope called for an end to “the spiral of violence” and urged world leaders to pursue diplomacy and restraint.

“Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility: to stop the tragedy of war, before it becomes an irreparable abyss,” he added.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with top security officials, have reportedly been killed due to ongoing attacks by the US and Israel. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has vowed to seek revenge and claims to have launched attacks on 27 bases housing US troops in the Middle East, as well as Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv. Explosions have been reported in Qatar and the UAE.

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran that if it retaliates ‘very hard today,’ it will face a response ‘with a force that has never been seen before.’

In response to the turmoil, Iran’s government announced that an interim council, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, will oversee the country until a new supreme leader is elected. Iranian state media reports indicate that at least 201 people have been killed in the attacks across 24 provinces.

Iran’s retaliatory strikes have targeted US and Israeli assets in various Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Oman.

Due to the ongoing exchange of attacks, several countries in the region have closed their airspace.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has accused Israel of ‘seeking to partition’ the country following its joint attack with the US, AzerNEWS reports.

In a statement published by the Fars state news agency, Larijani said that the Israeli ‘regime has no choice but to resort to partitioning large countries in order to ensure its own survival’.

Larijani also described Trump as ‘the perfect symbol of plunder’ and accused him of seeking to grab resources from Iran.

‘America and the Zionist regime burned the hearts of the Iranian nation, and we will burn their hearts too,’ he added.

Israel Katz has congratulated Netanyahu and the country’s military for the strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader.

‘He who acted to destroy Israel – has been destroyed,’ Katz said in a post on X. ‘Justice has been served, and the axis of evil has suffered a mortal blow.’

He added that Israel will ‘continue to act with full force’.

A landmark legal battle over privacy, data control and the business model of big tech is unfolding in India, as WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy faces intense scrutiny from the Supreme Court of India, AzerNEWS reports.

At stake are not just the terms of WhatsApp’s controversial update, but broader questions about privacy rights, consumer choice and the regulation of dominant digital platforms in one of the world’s largest internet markets.

What the case is about

In January 2021, WhatsApp introduced a policy requiring users in India to accept expanded data-sharing terms with its parent company, Meta Platforms, in order to continue using the app. Critics described it as a ‘take it or leave it’ model that gave users no real alternative.

India’s competition watchdog, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), launched an investigation in March 2021, alleging ‘exploitative and exclusionary conduct’. It argued that Meta was leveraging WhatsApp’s dominant position – with an estimated 853 million users in India – to strengthen its advertising business and disadvantage competitors.

In November 2024, the CCI fined Meta $25m for abusing its dominant position. It also:

Ordered behavioural remedies within three months

Barred WhatsApp from sharing user data with Meta entities for five years

Directed the company to clearly specify the purposes of data sharing

Meta and WhatsApp challenged the order before a company law tribunal, which upheld the fine but stayed the five-year data-sharing ban. In January 2026, the firms approached the Supreme Court to contest the penalty.

During recent hearings, the Supreme Court criticised the ‘take it or leave it’ approach, warning it would not allow companies to ‘play with’ Indians’ constitutional right to privacy or ‘make a mockery’ of the Constitution.

The court described the policy as a potential way of ‘committing theft of private information’ and expressed concern about personal communications being used for targeted advertising. It directed WhatsApp to create a consent-based framework for data sharing.

Privacy has been recognised as a fundamental right in India since a landmark 2017 ruling, raising the stakes of the current case.

WhatsApp’s response

In an affidavit submitted to the court, WhatsApp said it would comply by 16 March with the CCI’s order to give Indian users greater control over their data.

The company stated that:

Users will be able to opt out of sharing data with Meta for advertising

Access to WhatsApp in India will not be conditional on agreeing to data-sharing for non-service purposes

Future policy updates will follow the same requirements

A prominent settings tab will allow users to review or modify consent

WhatsApp also reiterated that personal messages remain protected by end-to-end encryption and claimed that it does not share user data with Meta for advertising purposes unless users opt into optional features.

The company added that it has begun preparing to comply with India’s new digital data protection law, which itself faces constitutional challenges and is due to be heard by a five-judge bench in March.