Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the arrival of the first rail shipment of Azerbaijani petrol on Friday, calling the delivery — the first such transfer between the two countries in decades — a sign that “peace has now become a reality”.
Officials on both sides have described as a concrete step towards normalising relations between the long-time rivals.
The freight train, made up of 22 tanker cars, delivered around 1,300 tonnes of high-octane gasoline via the Azerbaijan–Georgia–Armenia railway.
Armenia’s Economy Minister, Gevorg Papoyan, said the delivery was a commercial transaction and could mark the first trade deal between the two countries since peace efforts gathered pace.
The shipment began on 18 December and consists of AI-95 petrol produced by Azerbaijan’s state oil company, SOCAR.
Azerbaijani officials said the export demonstrates the country’s readiness to engage in mutually beneficial trade, while Armenian representatives described it as a practical contribution to energy security and economic stability.
The fuel delivery follows an agreement reached on 28 November in Gabala, north-west Azerbaijan, where Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev met his Armenian counterpart, Mher Grigoryan.
Talks focused on confidence-building measures and reviving economic links that had been severed by decades of conflict and closed borders.
Both governments have highlighted the symbolic importance of rail transport, which had been suspended for years due to hostilities. Restoring rail connectivity is seen as a foundation for rebuilding broader transport and trade links across the region.
Analysts say the move could have implications beyond fuel supplies. Reopening trade routes and establishing reliable commercial ties may strengthen regional integration, encourage further cooperation and create momentum for additional confidence-building steps.
In the longer term, observers argue that such initiatives could pave the way for expanded trade across the South Caucasus, reconnecting Armenia, Azerbaijan and neighbouring states through revived transport and energy corridors.
Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt has reopened for the first time in nearly a year, an Israeli security official said on Monday. It will allow l...
German authorities have arrested five people suspected of running a criminal network to circumvent European Union sanctions by exporting goods to at l...
Repeated violations of international law are casting doubts over the effectiveness of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire, one political analyst tol...
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said former Prince Andrew should testify before the U.S. Congress following the release of millions of new document...
The European Union’s decision to approve a new 20 million euro military assistance package for Armenia has raised concerns among regional experts, w...
German authorities have arrested five people suspected of running a criminal network to circumvent European Union sanctions by exporting goods to at least 24 sanctioned Russian defence companies, the federal prosecutor’s office said on Monday.
Repeated violations of international law are casting doubts over the effectiveness of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire, one political analyst told AnewZ.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 2nd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
At least 12 people were killed and seven wounded after a Russian drone struck a bus carrying miners in Ukraine's southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, government officials said on Sunday (1 February).
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has begun negotiations with European leaders over Greenland and that an agreement is already taking shape.
The United States accused Cuba of interfering with the work of its top diplomat in Havana on Sunday (1 February) after small groups of Cubans jeered at him during meetings with residents and church representatives.
Iran’s nuclear ambitions continue to shape regional tensions in the Middle East, particularly among key powers such as Israel and Türkiye, according to political analyst Dr Zaur Gasimov.
Dmitry Medvedev, said European countries have failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine and have instead inflicted serious economic damage on themselves, as he criticised EU policy, praised Donald Trump as a leader who seeks peace, and said Russia would “soon” achieve military victory in the war.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any U.S. military attack on Iran would spark a wider regional conflict, Iranian semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.
Repeated violations of international law are casting doubts over the effectiveness of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire, one political analyst told AnewZ.
The European Union’s decision to approve a new 20 million euro military assistance package for Armenia has raised concerns among regional experts, who warn the move could undermine peace efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt has reopened for the first time in nearly a year, an Israeli security official said on Monday. It will allow limited movement of medical patients and returning residents under the supervision of European monitoring teams who have arrived at the crossing.
Nine people were killed and 26 others injured when a passenger bus rolled off a road and plunged into a ravine in southern Türkiye’s Antalya province on Sunday (1 February), local officials said. In a separate incident, at least seven people were killed in a collision in a tunnel.
Iran’s foreign minister says a return to nuclear diplomacy with the United States remains possible, provided mutual trust can be restored, warning that any military confrontation would trigger a wider regional conflict.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment