Exploring Azerbaijan's Cultural And Ethnic Identity: Arab Or Not?

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south. The country has a population of approximately 10 million people, with the majority being of Azerbaijani ethnicity and practising Islam.

Azerbaijan has strong ties with the Arab world, with its roots traced back to the Arab conquest of Persia and the South Caucasus by the Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th century. The country has a solid relationship with most of the 22 countries in the Arab League, with formal diplomatic relations established with most members following its independence in 1991.

While Azerbaijan is predominantly Muslim, with a majority Shia population, its government maintains a secular stance. The country's diplomatic relations with Arab countries have been marked by a balance between various states, and it has successfully avoided taking sides in conflicts within the fragmented Arab world. Baku, the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, has become a newfound centre of attraction for tourists from the Arab world, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.

In terms of economic relations, there is potential for growth between Azerbaijan and the Arab countries, especially in the areas of agriculture, light industry, machine tools, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy. The volume of trade between Azerbaijan and Arab states remains modest, but it has been gaining momentum in recent years.

In summary, Azerbaijan, while not an Arab country, has a close relationship with the Arab world due to historical, cultural, religious, and economic ties. The country's diplomatic and economic engagement with Arab countries has been dynamic and is expected to further develop in the future.

Azerbaijan's relationship with Israel

Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a secular country with a Muslim majority. It is not an Arab country.

The two countries' cooperation extends beyond trade and security considerations. Israel helps the Azerbaijani authorities secure immunity in the U.S. against criticism of human rights abuses. In return, Baku reportedly provides Israel with a staging ground for conducting reconnaissance and intelligence activities against its archenemy, Iran.

The Azerbaijan-Israel alliance has grown more open and robust, especially amid strained Baku-Tehran relations following the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020. In November 2022, the Azerbaijani parliament approved a bill to open an embassy in Tel Aviv, marking a historic decision to reciprocate Israel's move to open an embassy in Baku in 1993.

The partnership between the two countries is crucial for both, providing mutual benefits on security and economic fronts. However, it also carries certain risks for the Aliyev government, as Azerbaijan has invoked pan-Islamic solidarity to garner support from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation members for its conflict with Armenia. Baku's failure to openly denounce the Israeli assault on Gaza exposes a contradiction in its own narrative on occupation and professed pan-Islamic solidarity.

The potential divergence with Turkey, which Azerbaijan considers a "brother" nation, could also create a domestic headache for the government. To prevent such impressions in the public, state-linked media adopts a slightly pro-Palestinian position. Nonetheless, the potential costs or benefits of alignment with Israel largely depend on the course of the war and its broader implications, making it difficult to predict at this stage.

Azerbaijan's relationship with Iran

Azerbaijan and Iran have a complex relationship that has been influenced by historical, cultural, and religious factors. Here is an overview of the key aspects of their relationship:

Historical and Cultural Ties:

Azerbaijan and Iran share a long history, with the territory of present-day Azerbaijan having been part of various Iranian/Persian empires throughout much of its history. The two countries also have cultural ties, including a shared language (Azeri) and religion (Shi'a Islam). They have the highest and second-highest Shia populations in the world, respectively.

Geopolitical Tensions:

Despite their historical and cultural connections, Azerbaijan and Iran have had tense relations at times due to competing geopolitical interests and alliances. Azerbaijan has moved towards pro-Western alliances with countries like Turkey, Israel, and the United States, while Iran has aligned itself with Russia and China due to its hostility towards the US.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict:

Iran's support for Armenia during the Nagorno-Karabakh War in the 1990s strained its relationship with Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's recent growth in power projection has also led to concerns in Iran about Azerbaijan's intentions towards Iranian Azerbaijan, the region in northwestern Iran with a significant Azeri population.

Energy and Economic Cooperation:

Azerbaijan and Iran have had collaborative and conflicting interests in the energy sector, particularly regarding oil and gas exploration and pipeline projects in the Caspian Sea region. They have also had economic cooperation, with a gas pipeline connecting the two countries and discussions about further expanding energy and economic ties.

Security Concerns and Espionage:

There have been accusations of espionage and covert activities by both countries against each other. Azerbaijan has accused Iran of conducting activities against its constitutional structure and government, while Iran has accused Azerbaijan of allowing Israeli intelligence listening posts along their shared border.

Recent Developments:

Relations between Azerbaijan and Iran have gone through periods of tension and rapprochement in recent years. After a period of deterioration in 2012, the election of Hassan Rouhani as Iran's president in 2013 led to a significant improvement in relations, with increased cooperation in energy, defence, and cultural projects. However, tensions flared up again in 2018 when Azerbaijan suspended oil and gas trade with Iran in support of US sanctions, and there have been subsequent incidents, including a terror attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran in 2023. Despite these challenges, there are ongoing efforts to normalise relations, with both countries exploring opportunities for cooperation and seeking to accommodate their differences.

Azerbaijan's relationship with Arab countries

Azerbaijan has a strong relationship with most of the 22 countries that make up the Arab world. The roots of these ties can be traced back to the Arab conquest of Persia and the South Caucasus by the Abbasid Caliphate in the eighth century. The territory of present-day Azerbaijan was conquered by the Arabs at the beginning of the eighth century and was integrated into the Abbasid Caliphate for a time. This Arab conquest ensured that Islam became the leading religion in Azerbaijan, adding a significant layer of tradition and culture to the region.

The contemporary history of relations between the Arab and Muslim worlds and Azerbaijan began with the restoration of the latter's independence in 1991. At that time, Azerbaijan rapidly joined various international formats, including those that self-identified as belonging to the Muslim world. The development of Azerbaijani diplomatic contacts with Arab and other Muslim countries in the early 1990s contributed to the development of the Muslim world's unified position with respect to the conflict over Karabakh. For many years, all those countries clearly supported the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and advocated for the return of occupied Azerbaijani territories.

Azerbaijan continues to skillfully manage not taking one-sided positions on any of the numerous conflicts and contradictions that exist within the fragmented Arab world. Baku has been able to maintain a normal level of relations with all Arab League members, which is a demonstration of diplomatic acumen and a strong argument in favor of both widening and deepening engagement.

The Arabic cultural element is present in modern Azerbaijan mainly in toponyms and in the Azerbaijani language, which borrows many words from Arabic. According to Hani el-Sisi, a professor of Arabic language and literature at the University of Cairo, about 10,000 words of the contemporary Azerbaijani language have Arabic roots. Moreover, there are many Azerbaijani Arabic-rooted words and idioms that have disappeared in countries that continue to use Arabic in the present.

Azerbaijan has diplomatic missions in ten Arab countries: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Baku has also announced that it will open a representative office in Ramallah, Palestine.

The development of economic contacts between Baku and the leading Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states looks to be the most promising way forward in the context of Azerbaijani-Arabic economic interaction. Leading GCC airlines have opened regular flights to and from Baku in recent years, and Azerbaijan has become a newfound center of attraction for tourists from all over the Arab world, particularly from the GCC states.

In summary, Azerbaijan's relationship with the Arab world is strong and dynamic, with a shared history dating back to the eighth century and a contemporary relationship that is growing and developing.

Azerbaijan's relationship with the West

Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a member of the Council of Europe and maintains good relations with the European Union. However, its relationship with the West is complex, and it has increasingly strengthened its ties with Russia and Iran.

Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries and holds membership in 38 international organizations, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Non-Aligned Movement, the OSCE, and the NATO PfP program. It is also an observer state of the World Trade Organization.

Azerbaijan has been described as a valuable Western ally, providing leverage against Russian and Iranian influence in the Caucasus. It is frequently mentioned as a friend of Israel, supplying the country with approximately 60% of its oil in exchange for weaponry.

However, Azerbaijan's relationship with Russia has deepened in recent years. In February 2022, just two days before Russia invaded Ukraine, Azerbaijan entered into a strategic partnership with Moscow, marked by an "Allied Relations" Declaration. This alliance has expanded to include intelligence-sharing and hydrocarbon trade, allowing Azerbaijan to bypass Western sanctions by shipping Russian oil and gas to Europe.

Azerbaijan has also strengthened its ties with Iran, signing agreements on the construction of transportation corridors and critical infrastructure projects. There are concerns that these developments could worry policymakers in the West, particularly in Israel, as they may signal a shift in Azerbaijan's geopolitical stance towards Russia and Iran.

The West has criticized Azerbaijan's human rights record, with the country being accused of authoritarianism, worsening civil liberties, and increasing restrictions on press freedom under the ruling New Azerbaijan Party.

In summary, while Azerbaijan maintains diplomatic relations and memberships with Western organizations, its complex web of relationships with Russia and Iran, along with its human rights issues, create tensions in its relationship with the West.

Azerbaijan's relationship with Armenia

Azerbaijan and Armenia have a long history of conflict and strained relations. The two countries have fought five wars in the past century, with the most recent taking place in 2023. The primary source of conflict has been the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is officially part of Azerbaijan but has a majority ethnic Armenian population.

During the Soviet era, Armenia and Azerbaijan had formal governmental relations from 1918 to 1921, following their brief independence from the collapsed Russian Empire. However, territorial disputes led to the Armenian-Azerbaijani War between 1918 and 1920, which ended when both countries were annexed by the Soviet Union. Armenia and Azerbaijan became constituent states of the USSR, and relations were generally peaceful during this time.

In 1988, the Armenians of Karabakh voted to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia, triggering pogroms and attacks on Armenians in several Azerbaijani cities. This marked the beginning of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, which resulted in de facto Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. A ceasefire was agreed upon in 1994, but tensions remained high, with intermittent clashes and violations of the ceasefire agreement.

In 2020, heavy fighting resumed along the line of contact between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops, leading to the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. Azerbaijan launched a lightning offensive and reclaimed most of the territory it had lost in the previous war, including the entire Azerbaijan-Iran border. A ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia ended the six-week war, and Azerbaijan gained control of Nagorno-Karabakh, with Russian peacekeepers deployed to protect a land corridor between Armenia and the region.

Despite the ceasefire, tensions continued to escalate, with periodic violations and border clashes. In 2023, Azerbaijan launched an "anti-terrorist" offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in the dissolution of the ethnic Armenian enclave, and the flight of its population to Armenia. This prompted protests in Yerevan, with accusations that the Armenian government had failed to protect ethnic Armenians.

However, there have been some recent signs of a potential thaw in relations. In 2023, for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia and Azerbaijan made a joint statement without an intermediary, agreeing to exchange prisoners. Additionally, Armenia supported Azerbaijan's bid to host the 29th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, withdrawing its own candidacy. In 2024, the two countries' leaders met and agreed to recognize each other's territorial integrity within Soviet-era administrative borders.

While a long-term accommodation between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains possible, the two countries continue to have strained relations due to their bloody history and repeated disappointments in peace negotiations. The delimitation of their shared border and the status of transport corridors remain key points of dispute.

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