Iran

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Armenia

Armenian border guards take over Iranian border checkpoint from Russia

by Arshaluys Barseghyan

•2 min read

Armenian National Security Service border troops will take over full control of the checkpoint on the Armenia-Iran border from Russian troops from January 2025, with Armenian border guards also serving alongside the Russian contingent along the borders with Iran and Turkey. The agreement was announced by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s spokesperson following a meeting between Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin on 8 October on the sidelines of the Council of Heads of State

Azerbaijan

Israel orders off-duty troops to leave Georgia and Azerbaijan amidst Iran tensions

by Yousef Bardouka

•2 min read

The Israeli Defence Forces have reportedly ordered off-duty personnel to leave Georgia and Azerbaijan, amidst fears of an attack on Israeli targets by Iran. Israeli state-owned TV station Kan 11 reported that the order came on Monday, amid concerns that Iran might strike at Israeli targets either within Israel or in countries near Iran. The Times of Israel reported that Israeli servicemembers ‘could presumably be in either country on vacation or to visit family’. The Israeli Embassy in Geo

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan and Iran hold military drills amidst apparent détente

by Aytan Farhadova

•2 min read

Azerbaijan and Iran have held joint military exercises in what appears to be a warming of relations between the two countries. The drills took place in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan on Wednesday. The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry announced that the two countries would conduct ‘tactical exercises’ to ‘protect strategic facilities and communication lines from possible sabotage’ a day earlier. Iran and Azerbaijan have long maintained strained relations. Iran has objected to Azerbaijan’s

Pashinyan and Putin in Moscow on 8 May. Official photo

Armenia

Russia and Armenia agree on withdrawal of border guards

by Tata Shoshiashvili

•2 min read

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have agreed on the withdrawal of Russian military and border guards from several regions of Armenia at a meeting in Moscow. On Thursday, Russian Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told state news agency RIA Novosti that Russian border guards would remain stationed on Armenia’s borders with Iran and Turkey ‘at the request of the Armenian side’. Peskov said the decision was made in a one-on-one meeting betwee

Armenia

Armenia proposes opening regional transport links as part of ‘Crossroads of Peace’

by Arshaluys Barseghyan

•2 min read

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has unveiled the ‘Crossroads of Peace’ — a regional transport proposal that would connect Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Georgia through Armenia. Pashinyan announced the details of the proposal on Thursday at the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum in Georgia as an ‘important part of the peace agenda’ in the South Caucasus. The project would see the renovation and development of roads, railways, pipelines, cables, and electricity lines between Armenia and Turkey an

Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash (left) and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev (right) laying the foundation for the transit route. Image via Azertaj.

Armenia–Iran Relations

Azerbaijan begins construction of corridor to Nakhchivan through Iran

by Ismi Aghayev

•2 min read

Azerbaijan and Iran have laid the foundation for a transit route connecting western Azerbaijan with its exclave of Nakhchivan through Iran. On 6 October, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev and Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Mehrdad Bazrpash, took part in a groundbreaking ceremony for a bridge connecting the two countries over the River Aras. Bazrapsh announced that Azerbaijan and Iran would establish a border crossing near the abandoned town of Aghband, clo

Mehriban and Ilham Aliyev at the mosque in Baku.

Azerbaijan

Opinion | First they came for the Muslims, and we did not speak out…

by Samad Shikhi

•7 min read

The mass arrest of religious Muslims in Azerbaijan is part of a blatant state campaign to control religion and demonise Iran. As such, the deafening silence among Azerbaijani activists and the international community is nothing short of a disgrace. On 7 April, I attended the trial of Nijat Aliyev, a member of the Muslim Union Movement. Except for a handful of social activists, I could see no one else in the courtroom except for Nijat’s relatives — the sight of whom hurt my heart. While we