President Ilham Aliyev has said Azerbaijan is not considering participation in any combat or peace enforcement mission in the Gaza Strip, stressing that any discussion of involvement depends on a clearly defined international mandate, the nature of the mission, and the consent of all parties.
On 5 January, Ilham Aliyev was interviewed by local television channels, responding to a question on whether Azerbaijan could contribute peacekeepers given its balanced relations with both Israel and the Arab-Islamic world, and said Baku had received inquiries but had taken no decision.
“We have received such inquiries. Naturally, before making a decision, we must clearly understand what the mandate of the operation would be and what kind of operations are planned,” he said.
Aliyev drew a clear distinction between peacekeeping missions and peace enforcement operations, underlining that Azerbaijan would not take part in the latter.
“Will these be ‘peacekeeping’ operations or ‘peace enforcement’ operations? These are two different things. We are naturally not ready for the latter, nor have we ever considered participating in it,” he said.
Referring to Azerbaijan’s past deployments, he noted that its troops had served in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan under non-combat mandates.
“We defined our function as the protection of strategic sites. We never engaged in combat operations, and I am not considering any participation in combat operations outside of Azerbaijan,” Aliyev added.
The president said Azerbaijan’s own experience of conflict makes it unwilling to risk lives abroad.
“My country has suffered from aggression. Every Azerbaijani citizen is precious to us. We have no intention of risking the lives and health of Azerbaijanis for the sake of others,” he said.
Aliyev added that when Azerbaijan faced hardship, it was largely left without protection. “When we were in trouble, we were left to our own fate. No one protected us,” he said.
While reaffirming support for Palestinian statehood in international forums, Aliyev said regional issues should be resolved by regional actors.
“I have always maintained that the affairs of Arab countries should be resolved by the Arab countries themselves,” he said, pointing to the Arab League and decisions of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Aliyev also rejected claims by the U.S. ambassador to the UN that Azerbaijan had already agreed to take part in a Gaza-related mission.
“We did not give our consent, and we informed the U.S. administration through diplomatic channels that such false statements are unacceptable and create a false impression,” he said.
According to Aliyev, Azerbaijan submitted a questionnaire of more than 20 questions to Washington.
“Until these questions are clarified, no participation by Azerbaijan in any mission is envisioned,” he said.
Aliyev’s remarks come amid broader international discussions about Azerbaijan’s potential role in emerging regional diplomatic frameworks.
Launched in 2020 under then-U.S. President Donald Trump, the Abraham Accords opened a new chapter in Middle Eastern diplomacy by promoting normalisation, economic cooperation and regional stability between Israel and several Arab states.
As Washington explores expanding the framework, Azerbaijan is increasingly viewed as a natural and constructive partner, given its long-standing strategic ties with Israel and its reputation for pragmatic, balanced diplomacy.
Analysts note that Azerbaijan already reflects many of the Accords’ core principles through its multivector foreign policy and emphasis on dialogue.
While Baku has not formally joined the framework, its cautious, step-by-step approach reflects a focus on ensuring that any future engagement strengthens regional stability and complements efforts toward peace in the Middle East.
Aliyev said speculation in the foreign press had made it necessary to clearly restate Azerbaijan’s position, both for domestic audiences and for international partners.
Kyrgyzstan has signed a series of cooperation agreements with China and Belarus at the Fifth Forum of Regional Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organis...
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings an...
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is "outpacing containment efforts" amid conflict, weak disease surveillance and limited...
Kazakhstan has reiterated that no existing route can replace the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which carries more than 80% of the country's crude...
Iran has strongly condemned U.S. threats to impose sanctions on and bomb Oman following reported talks between Muscat and Tehran on jointly overseeing...
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
Kazakhstan has reiterated that no existing route can replace the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which carries more than 80% of the country's crude oil exports through Russia to the Black Sea.
Senior U.S. State Department officials spent three days in Georgia meeting ministers, opposition figures and Church leaders as Washington intensifies its strategic engagement across the South Caucasus.
One hundred and eight years ago, amid collapsing empires and revolutionary chaos, the peoples of the South Caucasus took historic steps towards independence.
The U.S. and Iran have reportedly reached a preliminary 60-day ceasefire and nuclear talks deal, pending Donald Trump’s approval, Axios reports. Meanwhile, the GCC condemned Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. airbase in Kuwait, which Tehran said was retaliation for a U.S. strike near Bandar Abbas.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz has taken steps towards potentially declaring a state of emergency as anti-government protests intensify in the early months of his administration.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kazakhstan on Wednesday for a three-day state visit focused on energy, transport and economic cooperation with one of Moscow’s closest regional partners.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
Kyrgyzstan has signed a series of cooperation agreements with China and Belarus at the Fifth Forum of Regional Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, underlining the country's growing economic engagement within the regional bloc.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
Kazakhstan has reiterated that no existing route can replace the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which carries more than 80% of the country's crude oil exports through Russia to the Black Sea.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed 15 agreements during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Astana on Thursday (28 May), including deals on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant and expanded oil cooperation with Russia.
Senior U.S. State Department officials spent three days in Georgia meeting ministers, opposition figures and Church leaders as Washington intensifies its strategic engagement across the South Caucasus.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment