Category: Azer News

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.

The President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta, will pay a visit to Azerbaijan to participate in the 13th Global Baku Forum, scheduled to take place from March 12 to 14, AzerNEWS reports, citing diplomatic sources.

The president will take part in panel discussions addressing pressing global challenges and ongoing international developments within the framework of the forum.

The 13th Global Baku Forum will be held on March 12-14, 2026, under the theme ‘Bridging Divides in a World in Transition.’ Established in 2013 and organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, the forum has evolved into a prominent platform bringing together incumbent and former heads of state and government, representatives of international organizations, and leading scholars to discuss regional and global political issues.

This year’s forum coincides with a period of heightened diplomatic activity in the region and is expected to focus primarily on geopolitical transition processes and international security concerns.

Robert Kocharyan’s latest speech, widely circulated in Armenian media, exposes how easily political rhetoric can distort reality and manipulate history for personal or partisan purposes. Most striking is his claim that ‘during my time, Azerbaijan did not dare to wage war against Armenia’-a statement that misrepresents the facts and provokes deep indignation.

For ordinary people unfamiliar with the region’s history, his carefully manipulated statements may sound convincing. Yet for anyone with knowledge of politics and the South Caucasus, it is clear that Kocharyan was not only an obstacle to Armenia’s development but also one of the figures who inflicted the greatest damage on the entire region.

In detail, all available historical records show that the Russian Empire exploited the South Caucasus harshly, and this exploitation reached its peak under the Soviet Union. Under the banner of ‘internationalism’ and ‘social equality,’ the Kremlin not only drained natural resources but also distorted demographic development. For instance, before the Soviet Union, the South Caucasus population was around 6-8 million, while Iran’s was about 8-10 million and Turkiye’s 10-12 million. By the time the USSR collapsed, Iran and Turkey had grown to around 55-60 million, while the South Caucasus had only reached 15-16 million. In other words, while neighboring populations increased five- to six-fold, the Caucasus barely doubled.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, the republics in the South Caucasus inherited empty central banks and ruined economies. This was not unique to the Caucasus; all republics of the former USSR were left in similar crisis.

Thirty years of independence have made the contrasts even clearer. During Soviet times, Russia had the highest economic indicators, but today its GDP per capita ranks fifth after three Baltic republics, and Kazakhstan. GDP per capita in the Baltic republics is several times higher than that of Russia. The South Caucasus, with rich resources and strategic location, could have followed a similar path. However, we failed. Why?

The reason lies in politicians like Kocharyan, who used the collapse of the USSR not as an opportunity for the development of the entire region, but for their opportunistic ambition. Under the slogan of Miatsum (unification), they pursued irredentist policies against their neighbor that led to bloodshed, the displacement of more than a million people, the destruction of cities, and economic disruption. Guess who benefited from it? Of course, Moscow and its associates in the region, such as Kocharyan and his clique.

His claim that ‘Azerbaijan did not dare’ is pure manipulation. Unfortunately, political outcomes are shaped by decades of prior policies. Armenia’s success in the First Karabakh War was rooted in structural imbalances inherited from Russian imperial and Soviet policies. Under Tsarist rule, Azerbaijanis were largely excluded from military service, while Armenians often rose to officer ranks. This imbalance persisted in the Soviet era: Azerbaijanis were often assigned to construction battalions, while Armenians served in elite units. Economically, Armenia-though dependent on subsidies-was favored by Moscow, while Azerbaijan’s resources were exploited without equivalent investment. Most importantly, Russia provided Armenia with massive military support during the First Garabagh War.

History proves that a state led by those who place personal ambition above true independence cannot thrive, and Armenia under Kocharyan was no exception. The country became an isolated outpost. His policies led to mass emigration-one in six citizens left the country. By the time the Karabakh Clique was ousted in 2018, Armenia had become the poorest nation in the region.

In contrast, Azerbaijan pursued independent foreign policy and built a strong economy. Its GDP grew more than 170 times, and per capita income rose dramatically. Baku became the financial and cultural hub of the region, and Azerbaijan’s military budget eventually surpassed Armenia’s entire state budget. Alongside Russia and Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan developed its own space industry, underscoring its technological progress. By the late 2010s, reclaiming Karabakh had become a matter of time.

Kocharyan’s circle, however, managed to fall on their feet, deflecting responsibility for past failures onto successors such as Nikol Pashinyan. The reality, though, is inescapable: decades of opportunism and Moscow-dependent policies left Armenia isolated, impoverished, and weakened.

Today, the South Caucasus stands at a pivotal moment. A lasting settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan could open the door to economic recovery, regional cooperation, and social development. The lessons of the past are clear-political ambition and dependency on external powers cannot substitute for genuine national strategy and independence. For Armenia, the challenge is to embrace these lessons, prioritize reform, and build institutions that serve the long-term interests of its people.

Only by learning from history and resisting manipulative rhetoric can Armenia avoid remaining an isolated state with a struggling economy, outmigration, and limited prospects. The choices made today will determine whether the South Caucasus finally fulfills its potential as a region of stability, growth, and shared opportunity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday imposed new sanctions targeting 10 Russian transport and logistics companies for “delivering goods to Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia,” his office said, AzerNEWS reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

According to a statement, the sanctions list includes private Russian companies that ‘deliver goods to the Russian occupiers and vice versa,’ providing logistical support to the Russian army.

It also includes companies operating in ‘temporarily occupied territories’ using the infrastructure of Ukraine’s national postal service Ukrposhta.

‘They not only issue pensions and other payments there, but also work as a passport desk, where people are illegally issued passports and draft notices,’ the readout said.

The postal operators are subject to sanctions for creating channels to circumvent restrictions through so-called parallel imports of dual-use goods, including electronics and drones, according to the statement.

NASA on Friday announced adjustments to its Artemis lunar exploration program, adding a mission ahead of its planned crewed moon landing and postponing the landing to 2028 from 2027,AzerNEWS reports, citing Azertag.

Under the revised plan, the Artemis III mission will focus on testing systems and operational capabilities in low Earth orbit in 2027, in preparation for the Artemis IV lunar landing mission in 2028, NASA said in a news release.

The Artemis III mission is expected to include a rendezvous and docking with one or both commercial lunar landers being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin, in-space tests of the docked vehicles, integrated checkout of life support, communications, and propulsion systems, as well as tests of the new Extravehicular Activity suits, according to NASA.

“Standardizing vehicle configuration, increasing flight rate and progressing through objectives in a logical, phased approach, is how we achieved the near-impossible in 1969 and it is how we will do it again,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.

NASA recently completed two key wet dress rehearsals for the Artemis II crewed lunar mission and identified technical issues.

Following the rehearsals, NASA rolled the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission back to the Vehicle Assembly Building from the launch pad for troubleshooting.

Teams have begun addressing a helium issue discovered on the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage and are preparing several actions, including replacing batteries in the flight termination system and conducting end-to-end testing to meet range safety requirements.

NASA on Thursday also announced new leaders for two key human spaceflight roles. Joel Montalbano will serve as the acting associate administrator for the Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, while Dana Hutcherson will serve as the acting program manager of the Commercial Crew Program.

The agency said its newly-announced workforce directive is a key factor in enabling acceleration of the Artemis missions.

NASA plans to rebuild core competencies in the civil servant workforce including more in-house and side-by-side development work with its Artemis partners, enabling a safer, more reliable and faster launch cadence.

NASA is eyeing April for the launch of Artemis II, pending the outcome of data analysis, repair efforts and schedule assessments in the coming days and weeks.

The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts on an approximately 10-day journey around the Moon and back.

The crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, concluded his official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan on February 28, AzerNEWS reports.

A guard of honor was lined up for the Ethiopian Prime Minister at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, which was decorated with the national flags of both countries.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali was seen off by Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Samir Sharifov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yalchin Rafiyev, and other officials.

Trkiye on Saturday rejected claims circulating on social media alleging illegal crossings into the country from the Iranian border amid the Israel-US joint attack on Islamic republic, saying the posts contain disinformation, AzerNEWS reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

‘The images are old footage of unknown time and place; it has been determined that they were deliberately circulated again following recent regional developments,’ Trkiye’s Center for Combating Disinformation said on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

It added that there is no concrete evidence linking the images to Trkiye’s border line, noting that such posts aim to create a negative perception among the public by targeting border security.

‘Trkiye’s border security is maintained uninterruptedly on a 24/7 basis through multi-layered systems,’ the center said.

It also urged that unfounded claims not be given credence and that only statements from official authorities be taken into account.

Israel and US announced early Saturday a joint operation against Iran, citing “threats” posed by the “Iranian regime.”

The attacks come as talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program had been ongoing under Oman’s mediation. A new round of talks in Geneva ended on Thursday.

Last June, the US struck three Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day Israel-Iran war.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to Iran due to escalating security tensions, AzerNEWS reports.

Azerbaijani nationals currently in Iran are advised, depending on their location, to leave the country via Azerbaijan or Turkiye.

According to a statement shared on the Ministry’s official social media account, citizens are asked to follow safety measures, avoid crowded areas, comply with local authorities’ instructions, and regularly monitor official information sources.

In case of any emergencies, Azerbaijani citizens in Iran are encouraged to contact the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Tehran or the Consulate General in Tabriz through the following channels:

Embassy of Azerbaijan in Tehran

Email: tehran@mission.mfa.gov.az

Phone: +98 905 523 01 07 | +98 901 884 55 31

Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Tabriz

Email: tabriz@mission.mfa.gov.az

Phone: +98 901 414 31 57 | +98 935 317 21 01

The warning comes after Israel carried out a preemptive strike on Iranian territory in response to perceived threats, prompting the immediate declaration of a state of emergency across Israel. Both Israel and Iran have closed their airspaces. Reports indicate that the United States is participating in Israel’s strikes against Iran.

North Korea on Saturday released a rare solo photo of leader Kim Jong-un’s daughter Ju-ae taking aim at a target with a sniper rifle, after she took center stage with her father at a key military parade, AzerNEWS reports, citing Yonhap.

In a photo released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Ju-ae, wearing a leather coat, was seen taking aim at a target and firing the rifle, marking an unusual instance in which she appeared alone without Kim or other officials in an image distributed by Pyongyang.

The KCNA also released a photo of Ju-ae checking a target through a telescope beside her father.

“(The photos) emphasize that Kim Ju-ae knows how to fire a gun, implying she is undergoing training as a successor,” said Yang Moo-jin, a senior professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

The photos add further weight to the South Korean spy agency’s recent assessment that the teenager may be positioned to succeed her father as state leader.

A new force has entered the arena of interstate competition: artificial intelligence. Where global influence was once defined primarily by military strength and economic power, today no serious strategic calculus is complete without AI. It is reshaping how nations compete, cooperate, and project influence. Azerbaijan is entering a pivotal phase in its digital evolution, where technology is positioned to make government more efficient as well as serve as a strategic lever for economic diversification, innovation, and national security. The recent establishment of the Digital Development Council and the approval of a three-year Action Plan by President Ilham Aliyev mark a decisive step toward institutionalizing digital transformation at the highest level of government. This move reflects a recognition that in the modern global economy, the ability to harness artificial intelligence (AI), manage data effectively, and maintain technological sovereignty is as critical to national competitiveness as traditional sectors like oil and gas.

In recent years, Azerbaijan has achieved measurable progress in digital infrastructure and e-governance. The launch of the Government Cloud, a centralized platform for state data and services, and the widespread adoption of the SIMA biometric digital signature, now used by more than four million citizens, demonstrate the country’s capacity to implement large-scale digital initiatives. These achievements contributed to Azerbaijan’s rise to 74th place in the 2024 UN E-Government Development Index, entering the ‘very highly developed countries’ category. This progress reflects a clear correlation between centralized digital infrastructure and improved public service delivery, signaling that Azerbaijan is moving from basic digitalization toward integrated, citizen-focused governance.

However, digital infrastructure alone does not translate into innovation leadership. Azerbaijan’s 94th place in the Global Innovation Index highlights the persistent gap between technology deployment and the generation of sustainable innovation. Innovation ecosystems require not only advanced infrastructure but also high-quality human capital, flexible regulatory frameworks, access to finance, and robust research capabilities. Current limitations, including deficiencies in data management, insufficient high-performance computing resources for AI, and underdeveloped financial instruments such as venture capital and crowdfunding, constrain the country’s capacity to transition to a fully innovation-driven economy.

The 2026-2028 Action Plan addresses these structural gaps through a combination of technological, regulatory, and human capital initiatives. The introduction of unified data management and the ‘once only’ principle will reduce bureaucratic redundancy, enhance data integrity, and enable proactive public services. Centralizing citizen and business interactions under the MyGov and MyGov Business platforms will create a more seamless interface with the state, facilitating predictive governance and data-driven decision-making.

Equally important are measures to stimulate private innovation, including legal recognition of venture financing and crowdfunding, support for angel investors who are individuals that provide early-stage funding and mentorship to startups in exchange for equity, simplified technopark residency, and incentives for local innovative products in state procurement. These interventions acknowledge that public infrastructure and regulatory modernization alone are insufficient; fostering entrepreneurship and attracting global talent are essential to building a sustainable innovation ecosystem.

These measures together form the backbone of an innovation ecosystem. Digital infrastructure and government modernization can create the environment, but innovation thrives only when financial mechanisms, mentorship, and market access exist. By combining venture capital, crowdfunding, angel investment, and technopark support, Azerbaijan is aiming to reduce early-stage funding gaps, encourage risk-taking, and accelerate the commercialization of new technologies. This is particularly important for sectors like AI, where startups require significant upfront investment for research and computing infrastructure before generating revenue.

A particularly strategic component of the Action Plan is the emphasis on ‘sovereign AI,’ a concept that is rapidly gaining global prominence. Countries around the world are pursuing sovereign AI to secure technological independence and strategic advantage. China, for instance, has made significant advances through its New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan, aiming to establish global leadership in AI by 2030. The European Union (EU) is promoting data sovereignty via initiatives. Similarly, India and Russia are exploring sovereign AI strategies, focusing on data localization and the creation of AI solutions tailored to national priorities.

Sovereign AI refers to a nation’s ability to develop and operate AI systems using domestic infrastructure, data, and human capital, independently of foreign platforms. For Azerbaijan, this is both an economic necessity and a matter of national security. For example, developing AI models in the Azerbaijani language ensures that critical decision-making tools reflect local norms, cultural context, and legal frameworks. Achieving this, however, demands substantial investment in high-performance computing, data quality enhancement, and the cultivation of specialized talent, areas where current capacity is still limited.

As digitalization advances, cybersecurity risks grow proportionally. AI-driven cyberattacks, supply chain vulnerabilities, and threats to critical information infrastructure are becoming more sophisticated. The World Economic Forum identifies cybersecurity risks and technology-driven disinformation among the most pressing global threats. Against this backdrop, digital resilience, the ability to anticipate, respond to, and rapidly recover from cyber incidents, is equally vital as the development of AI and digital infrastructure. The State Service for Special Communications and Information Security is taking proactive steps by defining AI security requirements, creating a national ‘Threats and Solutions Catalog,’ and establishing systematic risk assessment protocols. By emphasizing asset identification, regular review cycles, and adaptive risk management, Azerbaijan is embedding international best practices into its cybersecurity governance framework.

Taken together, the establishment of the Digital Development Council and the Action Plan represent a structured approach to advancing digital transformation in Azerbaijan. The country is moving from basic technology adoption toward more coordinated technology governance, with a focus on innovation and greater control over digital infrastructure.

These reforms have the potential to support economic diversification, improve public sector efficiency, and enhance cybersecurity. However, achieving these outcomes will require sustained investment in infrastructure, human capital, data management, private sector participation, and institutional coordination. Partial implementation or insufficient resources could result in only incremental improvements, limiting the impact of the Action Plan.

Azerbaijan’s new digital strategy presents both opportunities and challenges. It provides a framework to use AI and digital technologies to support economic development, improve governance efficiency, and strengthen cybersecurity. At the same time, it requires the development of technical infrastructure, financial mechanisms, and human capital to ensure a resilient, innovative, and sovereign digital ecosystem. The effectiveness of the strategy will depend on the country’s ability to implement these measures consistently and translate policy initiatives into measurable results within the global digital economy.