Aliyev rejects reports of Israel using Azerbaijani airspace to attack Iran

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on his counterpart Ilham Aliyev in a telephone conversation to check reports of Israeli drones flying from Azerbaijani territory to strike his country.

Aliyev rejected this information, saying that such reports are nothing more than rumors. He stressed that Baku retains full control over its airspace and will not allow it to be used against Tehran. The Azerbaijani leader also expressed regret over the Israeli attacks and civilian casualties in Iran and welcomed the ceasefire.

Recall that on June 13, Israel launched an air operation against Iran, accusing it of enriching uranium and implementing a military nuclear program. Suspected nuclear facilities and research centers, military infrastructure, the leadership of Iran's intelligence and armed forces, and prominent nuclear physicists were subjected to strikes. Iran rejected the accusations, responding with its own attacks. The two sides exchanged blows for 12 days until the United States intervened, striking Iran's most protected nuclear complex with special bunker bombs. Tehran responded with a limited strike on American bases in Qatar and Iraq, but there was no response from the United States. US President Donald Trump called Iran's strike "weak" and later said Israel and Iran had agreed to a full ceasefire.

Последние новости
Georgia again rejected calls to join anti-Russian sanctions
Politics
Georgia again rejected calls to join anti-Russian sanctions
25 February 2026

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze criticized Brussels' demands to join sanctions against Russia. He said these calls were inappropriate, given that the EU itself is a major importer of Russian products.

Ruben Vardanyan Drops Appeal Against 20-Year Sentence in Azerbaijan
Human rights
Ruben Vardanyan Drops Appeal Against 20-Year Sentence in Azerbaijan
25 February 2026

Billionaire and former Nagorno-Karabakh state minister Ruben Vardanyan, sentenced in Baku to 20 years in prison, rejected the legal force of the ruling and dropped his appeal. His family explained that this decision stemmed from the fact that, in their view, the trial was a "staged performance" rather than a proper trial: the hearings were held behind closed doors, without access to independent observers, and the prosecution's motions were ignored. The full text of the verdict was also not released.

Azerbaijani political prisoners appeal to the European Commission to address human rights in the country
Human rights
Azerbaijani political prisoners appeal to the European Commission to address human rights in the country
25 February 2026

A group of imprisoned activists and journalists from Baku's Penal Colony No. 2 has appealed to the President of the European Commission. They demand the implementation of European Parliament resolutions calling for the release of Azerbaijani political prisoners.

Chechnya Leads in Lowest Alcohol Sales
Economy
Chechnya Leads in Lowest Alcohol Sales
25 February 2026

In 2025, residents of the North Caucasus regions consumed the least amount of hard liquor in Russia. The lowest official retail sales figures were recorded in Chechnya (0.01 liters per capita). Other republics of the North Caucasus Federal District also demonstrated modest figures: Ingushetia - 0.7 liters, Dagestan - 2.2 liters, Kabardino-Balkaria - 2.6 liters, North Ossetia - 3 liters, and Karachay-Cherkessia - 3.4 liters. Experts attribute this decline to the prevalence of cultural and religious restrictions, as well as a preference for low-alcohol beverages.