The South Caucasus must be ready to take potential business opportunities presented by the conflict in Iran. That’s the opinion of Rusif Huseynov, from the Topchubashov Center think tank, who suggested that investors spooked by instability in the Middle East may shift their focus to the region.
Speaking on AnewZ Day Break programme on Tuesday (3rd March), Huseynov, Director of the Baku-based thinktank, said, “Our geopolitical significance has been elevated, especially in terms of connectivity, but for other reasons as well. Even if the conflict around Iran is coming to an end tomorrow, the instability in the Middle East will definitely last for some time.
“It will scare away investors, businesspeople, [and] other companies who want to deal with the region. And in this case, the South Caucasus may receive huge business opportunities… We must be prepared [to be] able to digest these opportunities.”
Since conflict broke out in Iran and the wider Middle East region at the weekend, flights have been rerouted above Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Flight trackers show a bottleneck of planes above the South Caucasus, while Iranian airspace remains closed.
Meanwhile the tourism and business hubs of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Doha in Qatar have been rocked by Iranian missile strikes that have caused airports to suspend flights or close entirely.
Huseynov warned, however, of the risk of the conflict spilling over to Armenia and Azerbaijan and the refugee crisis this could spark.
“The spillover effect of the conflict in and around Iran… would be the worst nightmare for all three South Caucasus countries. [...] It's about the possible exodus of Iranian refugees northward. It can be a humanitarian catastrophe.”
Huseynov added that leaders in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia should make efforts to achieve de-esculation between Iran and the USA. But he admitted that such an outcome was “complicated” to bring about at present.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 10th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump called his recent phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very good.” The two leaders spoke on Monday about the situation in Iran and other international issues.
Welcome to our live coverage as the conflict involving Iran enters its 11th day. Tensions in the region remain high as the United States and Iran exchange increasingly sharp warnings over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
Schools across Pakistan are being forced to close for a fortnight from next week with government departments down to a four-day week, according to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a televised address to the nation.
Just under a year after being arrested and imprisoned at Silivri prison in the west of İstanbul, İmamoğlu appeared in good spirits when he arrived in court on Monday to face around 140 charges including leading a criminal organisation for profit and bribery.
Global oil prices reached a four year high on Monday (9 March), surpassing $119 a barrel, as conflict in the Middle East rumbled on. Meanwhile, the Turkish Military said NATO air defence systems destroyed a missile fired from Iran towards the country.
Kyrgyzstan recorded the largest increase in women’s representation in parliament worldwide in 2025, according to a new report by the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Türkiye’s official anti-disinformation agency has issued a statement refuting what it described as online “disinformation” and reiterating the strength of relations between Türkiye and Azerbaijan.
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