Morning Brief - 18 August 2026
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 18th of August, covering the latest developments....
The reopening of Azerbaijan’s embassy in Iran reflects the “special relationship” between the two countries, a regional expert has said.
Alihuseyn Gulu-Zada told AnewZ on Monday (13 April) that the restoration of embassy operations demonstrated the importance Iran holds in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy.
“Naturally, we mustn't forget that Iran is a special country to Azerbaijan. After all, a far greater number of Azerbaijanis live in Iran, especially in Iranian Azerbaijan, than in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Therefore, what's happening in Iran cannot fail to concern Azerbaijan,” he said.
Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the embassy reopened on Sunday (12 April).
Baku evacuated its diplomatic staff from Tehran in March as part of security measures amid increasing regional tensions.

Gulu-Zada added that the Middle East conflict had shown Tehran which countries it could trust, highlighting Azerbaijan's delivery of humanitarian aid to Iran on several occasions during the recent fighting.
“The current war in Iran has once again demonstrated who Tehran's true friends and partners are and from whom it really ought to distance itself. I'm confident that Iran has drawn conclusions from this difficult period, including regarding its relations with Azerbaijan,” he said.
He added that under current Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, relations between the two countries had been improving and that, prior to the war, trust between Iran and Azerbaijan had been mostly restored..
Moving forward, Gulu-Zada said he viewed the implementation of the Aras Corridor - a transport project designed to connect mainland Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave via Iranian territory - as a priority.
“It's also worth noting the North-South International Transport Corridor in which Russia is also involved. Here, of course, it's worth highlighting the construction of the Astara-Rasht-Qazvin railway line, which will connect the existing railways of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran,” he added.
The Embassy in Tehran will initially operate with a limited number of diplomatic and administrative staff, according to Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The resumption of the Embassy’s work shortly after the cessation of military operations in Iran and the declaration of a two-week ceasefire is a demonstration of special importance attached by Azerbaijan to its relations with neighbouring and friendly Iran,” the Ministry said in a statement.
At least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, among the deadliest since a June ceasefire. Meanwhile, Qatar denied holding Iranian pilots. It said it had found the remains of one pilot after an airspace violation and had contacted Iran to coordinate a handover.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
A wildfire in Croatia driven by strong winds descended on the tourist town of Omis overnight, engulfing houses, forcing about 1,000 people to evacuate to safety and injuring dozens, fire brigade and health officials said on Friday.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Residents of villages in eastern Indonesia hit by a deadly earthquake that killed at least 54 people were awaiting aid on Monday as rescuers prepared to comb through collapsed buildings in search of people trapped beneath the rubble.
Iran says it will use all diplomatic and legal channels to determine the fate of three Air Force pilots it believes are being held in Qatar after their fighter jets were downed during the March war.
Kazakhstan has launched a unified digital platform to track coal supplies in real time, giving officials a clearer view of production, shipments, stocks and prices ahead of the heating season.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to end the war in Gaza returned to the diplomatic arena on Sunday (16 August), as his envoys met Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo while Israeli strikes continued across the strip.
At least 11 people, including three children and two women, were killed in Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, according to Lebanese authorities, in one of the deadliest escalations since a U.S.-mediated framework was agreed between Lebanon and Israel.
As the countries of the Turkic world seek deeper economic integration, the Turkic Investment Fund (TIF) is positioning itself as a key financial vehicle for turning political cooperation into tangible development projects.
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