live Iran ties Hormuz reopening to U.S. concessions on several demands
Iran said it was nearing a final pact with Oman defining new shipping lanes between them through the Strait of Hormuz but repeated that the U.S. must ...
Azerbaijan has been elected as a member of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development and the Commission for Social Development.
The country’s Foreign Ministry made the announcement on Thursday, 11 December, 2025 following elections on Wednesday in New York.
Both commissions operate under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), in which Azerbaijan is already an active participant, according to the official ECOSOC website.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said the appointments would allow the country to showcase its achievements in social policy and further expand cooperation with UN member states.
Ministry officials also noted that Azerbaijan’s role in these bodies comes at a time of increased international focus on migration and urban growth challenges.
Especially as many countries face population ageing and displacement pressures — topics frequently highlighted in United Nations demographic reviews and global policy forums.
The country has in recent years engaged in UN debates on issues such as gender equality, labour rights and youth empowerment, hosting events and delivering statements at the UN General Assembly and ECOSOC sessions, according to United Nations official meeting records.
UN Commissions' functions
The Commission on Population and Development of the UN Economic and Social Council was established in 1946.
It oversees global policy on demographics, migration, urbanisation and sustainable development — areas that the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has identified as critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
The Commission for Social Development is another ECOSOC functional commission, created in 1946 to advise on social development policies globally.
The institution focuses on social policy, protection systems and vulnerable groups, responsibilities underscored in recent United Nations Human Rights Council and ECOSOC reports highlighting the importance of inclusive social frameworks amid post‑pandemic recovery globally.
An agreement between Iran and the U.S. to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is expected "soon," a U.S. official has said. The deal would result in the resumption of commercial shipping through the sea passage and the lifting of an American naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Flights arriving at Catania airport in eastern Sicily were suspended after volcanic ash from a new eruption of Mount Etna drifted into the airspace around the airport, disrupting operations at one of Italy’s busiest aviation hubs.
A deal on a new route for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is "very close," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said, while warning that the reopening of the waterway depends on the U.S. meeting other conditions, including paying compensation to Iran.
Iran said it was nearing a final pact with Oman defining new shipping lanes between them through the Strait of Hormuz but repeated that the U.S. must meet other conditions.
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