Iran’s ambassador to Azerbaijan Mojtaba Demirchilou has outlined Tehran’s carefully calibrated positions on Azerbaijan’s relations with Israel and on major regional connectivity projects in an interview with AnewZ.
The ambassador acknowledged Azerbaijan’s sovereign right to determine its foreign partnerships, including its strategic relationship with Israel.
“Naturally, the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan allows it to establish relations with any side it chooses and this is its legitimate right,” he said.
At the same time, Demirchilou stressed that this principle is inseparable from Iran’s expectation that Azerbaijani territory will not be used in ways that could threaten Iranian security.
“As the highest officials of the Republic of Azerbaijan have stated, they will not allow their territory to be used against Iran. Naturally, we expect this to be the case,” he added.
The ambassador also expressed concern over what he described as attempts by Israeli officials to use visits to Baku as a platform for statements hostile to Iran, reflecting Tehran’s sensitivity not only to military realities but also to diplomatic signalling.
The remarks reveal Iran’s dual-track approach: formally respecting Azerbaijan’s sovereignty while drawing clear political and security red lines around Israel’s regional role.
A similar conditional logic shaped Demirchilou’s comments on regional transportation initiatives, including the TRIPP/Zangazur Corridor.
He said Iran supports projects that enhance economic cooperation, regional connectivity and development.
“Any plan in the field of transportation aims to preserve peace and stability in the region and contribute to economic development, we naturally support it,” he said.
However, Demirchilou repeatedly warned that Iran would oppose any initiative driven by external geopolitical objectives or directed against Iranian interests.
“If there is a plan that contains specific geopolitical objectives and is directed against Iran, then naturally Iran cannot tolerate such a matter,” he said.
When pressed for a clear endorsement of the TRIPP initiative itself, the ambassador reiterated the same formulation without offering a direct yes-or-no answer.
“Regardless of the name, if any plan in the field of transportation aims to preserve peace and stability in the region and contribute to economic development, we naturally support it,” he said.
The repeated ambiguity suggests Tehran’s intent to avoid openly opposing regional connectivity while retaining flexibility to challenge projects it views as strategically threatening.
The interview highlights an Iranian strategy defined less by outright opposition and more by careful qualification.
Tehran signals openness to cooperation and economic integration, but consistently frames its support as conditional, contingent on the absence of geopolitical motives.
For Azerbaijan, the remarks underline the diplomatic balancing act required to advance regional connectivity and strategic partnerships while managing the sensitivities of a neighbouring power whose acceptance remains cautious and closely guarded.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for the 9th of November 2026. From a spy investigation shaking Silicon Valley to rising geopolitical tensions, th...
A passport application might seem an ordinary administrative request. For Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's ousted prime minister, it could mark the ...
Nvidia has launched an independent investigation into whether its chief executive, Jensen Huang, was targeted in a foreign intelligence operat...
Poland has declared two days of national mourning after a gunman opened fire in Kraków's historic main square. Investigators are examining possible far-right influences and the discovery of three bodies at the suspect's home.
Monday marks the second of two days of national mourning in Poland as police bolstered security after six people were killed in a mass shooting in Kraków.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis said it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the Iran-aligned group towards Riyadh on Sunday (8 November), after loud booms were heard in the Saudi capital. The Aramco building was damaged by falling debris.
New Zealand’s ruling centre-right National Party has taken a narrow lead over the opposition Labour Party in Saturday’s general election, with the country’s current three-party coalition projected to retain power.
Azerbaijan is marking the sixth anniversary of Victory Day on Sunday, 8 November, with President Ilham Aliyev visiting the Victory Monument in Khankendi, laying a wreath and paying tribute to servicemen killed during the 44-day Second Garabagh War in 2020.
Representatives from nearly 200 countries are gathering on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast for two weeks of climate negotiations, amid growing energy security concerns, rising electricity demand and weakening international cooperation.
Azerbaijan is marking the sixth anniversary of Victory Day on Sunday, 8 November, with President Ilham Aliyev visiting the Victory Monument in Khankendi, laying a wreath and paying tribute to servicemen killed during the 44-day Second Garabagh War in 2020.
Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said he hopes the country will have visa-free travel with the European Union (EU) by 2029, the country’s state news agency Armenpress has reported.
Azerbaijan, the United States and Armenia have launched trilateral technical planning groups to advance the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), marking another step towards implementing the regional connectivity project agreed at the Washington peace summit in August 2025.
Syria is aiding Riyadh with military advice and training as Saudi Arabia comes under attack by Yemen's Houthis, and has sent a limited number of military personnel to the kingdom, two Syrian military sources and a senior U.S. official said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment