Azerbaijan's Historical And Political Tensions: Who Are Their Enemies?

Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and Western Asia, with a long history of conflict with neighbouring Armenia. The two countries have fought three wars over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognised as Azerbaijani territory but has been under ethnic Armenian rule since the 1994 ceasefire that ended the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. The conflict has resulted in a lack of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries. Azerbaijan has also used its oil wealth to rebuild its army, which is seen as a government priority.

Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 182 countries and holds membership in 38 international organisations, including the UN, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, and NATO's Partnership for Peace. It is also an active member of the Organisation of Turkic States and the TÜRKSOY community.

Azerbaijan's closest ally is Turkey, which became the first state to recognise the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1991. The two countries' relationship has been described as one nation with two states due to their shared culture and mutually intelligible languages. Azerbaijan also has good relations with the EU and is a member of its Eastern European Neighbourhood Policy.

In addition, Azerbaijan is one of the few majority-Muslim countries to have developed bilateral strategic and economic relations with Israel, which was one of the first countries to recognise Azerbaijan's independence in 1991.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have had a tumultuous relationship, with three wars fought between the two nations

In 1988, the Armenians of Karabakh voted to secede and join Armenia, which resulted in pogroms (attacks) against Armenians in three cities of Azerbaijan: Sumgait, Baku, and Kirovabad. This led to the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, which lasted from 1988 to 1994. The war resulted in the de facto Armenian occupation of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. A ceasefire agreement was signed in May 1994, with Armenian forces controlling 14-16% of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War took place in 2020, with heavy fighting along the line of contact between local Armenian and Azeri troops. A ceasefire agreement was eventually brokered by Russia and agreed upon by both sides, ending all hostilities in the region. Azerbaijan claimed victory as it gained control of several cities, towns, villages, and the entire Azerbaijan-Iran border. Parts of Nagorno-Karabakh and all Armenian-occupied territories surrounding it were ceded to Azerbaijan.

The most recent conflict between the two nations occurred in 2023, when Azerbaijan launched an offensive against the breakaway Republic of Artsakh in Nagorno-Karabakh. This resulted in the dissolution and reintegration of Artsakh and the flight of nearly all ethnic Armenians from the region.

The ongoing disputes between Azerbaijan and Armenia have resulted in strained relations, with no diplomatic ties between the two countries. The conflicts have also led to the displacement of thousands of people, human rights violations, and censorship of social memory.

Azerbaijan's relationship with Iran has been strained due to their differing political alignments, with Azerbaijan aligning with Western powers and Iran with Russia and China

Azerbaijan and Iran share a border, a similar history, and a common religion, with both countries having a majority Shia Muslim population. However, their political differences have often led to a strained relationship. Azerbaijan has increasingly aligned itself with Western powers, including Israel, Turkey, and the United States, while Iran has been largely pro-Russian and pro-Chinese due to its hostility towards the US. Iran has also been targeted with sanctions, further pushing it away from Western countries.

The two countries have had a complex relationship since Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. While Iran was one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan's independence and establish diplomatic relations, tensions arose due to Azerbaijan's pro-Western stance and its close ties with Israel. Iran has sought to spread its Islamic Revolution to Azerbaijan, but Azerbaijan has been skeptical of Iran's theocratic government, instead looking to Turkey as a strategic partner.

Azerbaijan's growing power, largely due to its oil and gas revenues, has also caused tensions with Iran. Iran views Azerbaijan's close relationship with Israel as a threat, and there have been allegations of Israeli intelligence maintaining listening posts along the Azerbaijani border with Iran. Additionally, Azerbaijan's support for US sanctions against Iran and its participation in the February 2019 Warsaw Conference, which accused Iran of financing terrorist activities in the region, have further strained relations.

In recent years, there have been signs of improving relations between the two countries. In 2023, Iran agreed to take measures to address Azerbaijan's concerns, and the two countries have held meetings to discuss cooperation in various sectors, including energy and defense. However, tensions still exist, with Azerbaijan accusing Iran of supporting Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Iran expressing concerns over Azerbaijan's relationship with Israel.

Overall, the differing political alignments of Azerbaijan and Iran have led to a strained relationship between the two countries, with Azerbaijan aligning with Western powers and Iran with Russia and China. While there have been efforts to improve relations, the complex dynamics in the region continue to impact their relationship.

Azerbaijan's relationship with Russia has been historically fraught, with the two countries sharing a border and Russia invading and conquering Azerbaijan in the 19th century

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and shares a border with Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north.

Historically, the territory of what is now Azerbaijan was ruled by various empires and kingdoms, including Caucasian Albania and several Persian empires. In the 19th century, it was part of Qajar Iran until the Russo-Persian wars of 1804–1813 and 1826–1828 forced the Qajar Empire to cede its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire. The treaties of Gulistan in 1813 and Turkmenchay in 1828 defined the border between Russia and Iran, with the region north of the Aras River becoming part of Russia.

The Russian conquest of Azerbaijan led to the emergence of a distinct Azerbaijani national identity, and in 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic. However, this independence was short-lived as the country was conquered and incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan SSR in 1920.

In recent years, the relationship between Azerbaijan and Russia has been complex and multifaceted. On the one hand, the two countries have maintained diplomatic ties, and Russia has played a role in mediating conflicts in the region, such as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. On the other hand, there have been tensions and conflicts of interest between the two countries.

In 2022, just before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a wide-ranging political-military agreement, with Aliyev declaring that the pact brought their relations to the level of an alliance. However, Azerbaijan has also sought to balance its relationship with Russia by developing ties with Western countries and diversifying its energy exports.

Additionally, there have been instances of tension and conflict between the two countries, such as the dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces since the 1990s. In 2020, Azerbaijan launched an offensive to reclaim the territory, resulting in a ceasefire brokered by Russia and the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in the region. Despite this, tensions have continued, with Azerbaijan accused of attempting to expel ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh and blockading the Lachin Corridor, the only road linking the region to Armenia.

In summary, while Azerbaijan and Russia share a border and have had diplomatic ties, their relationship has been historically complex and fraught with conflicts and tensions, dating back to Russia's invasion and conquest of Azerbaijan in the 19th century.

Azerbaijan and Turkey have a close relationship, with Turkey being the first country to recognise Azerbaijan's independence

Turkey was the first country to recognise Azerbaijan's independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the two have since forged robust economic ties. Turkey is the main conduit for Azerbaijan's oil and gas exports, and Azerbaijan has become a major investor in Turkey.

The countries also have a close military relationship. Turkey's military has been training Azerbaijani officers for decades, and the two countries conducted large-scale military exercises in Azerbaijan in August. Turkey is Azerbaijan's third-largest supplier of military equipment, known to have sold drones and rocket launchers.

In addition to economic and military ties, Azerbaijan and Turkey also share strong diplomatic relations. Azerbaijan has placed a particular emphasis on its "special relationship" with Turkey, and the countries were early to establish full diplomatic relations, including mutual exchanges of missions.

The close relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkey is further highlighted by their shared involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Turkey firmly supported Azerbaijan as the decades-old territorial dispute flared into an armed conflict with Armenia. Turkey vowed to support longtime ally Azerbaijan "on the battlefield or the negotiating table" if needed.

The strong relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkey is further evidenced by their shared membership in several international organisations, including the Council of Europe, the Organization of Turkic States, and the TÜRKSOY community.

Azerbaijan and Israel have a strong bilateral relationship, with Israel being one of the first countries to recognise Azerbaijan's independence

Strategic Ties

Israel and Azerbaijan have developed intricate strategic ties over the years, with both countries benefiting from the relationship. Israel has been a major provider of military equipment to Azerbaijan, including battlefield aviation, artillery, and anti-infantry weaponry. These weapons played a pivotal role in Azerbaijan's conflicts with Armenia in 2020 and 2023, where Azerbaijan was able to rout Armenian forces and regain control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In return, Azerbaijan reportedly provides Israel with access to its territory to conduct intelligence activities against its arch-enemy, Iran. This cooperation has grown more open and robust, especially after the Second Karabakh War in 2020, which further strained relations between Azerbaijan and Iran.

Economic Ties

Economic cooperation between the two countries has also been significant. Israel is a major importer of Azerbaijani oil, with Baku supplying up to 40% of Israel's oil needs. In recent years, Israel has also expressed interest in importing natural gas from Azerbaijan, further strengthening their economic ties.

Additionally, Israeli companies have penetrated Azerbaijani markets, particularly in the service and energy sectors. For example, Bezeq, an Israeli telecommunication provider, gained a significant share of the telephone operating system in Azerbaijan. Another joint venture between Israel and Azerbaijan resulted in the creation of Bakcell, the country's first cellular telephone operator.

Cultural and Political Ties

Beyond economic and strategic ties, there are also cultural and political connections between the two countries. Azerbaijan is home to a significant Jewish population, with approximately 30,000 Jews residing primarily in Baku and the Qırmızı Qəsəbə settlement. The Mountain Jews of Azerbaijan have a long history in the country, dating back almost 1,500 years.

On the political front, Israel has helped Azerbaijan secure a degree of immunity in the US against criticism of human rights abuses. This support has been particularly valuable to Azerbaijan as it faces scrutiny for its mass expulsion of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh and its use of Israeli-produced spyware to surveil local activists and journalists.

A Delicate Balance

However, Azerbaijan must walk a fine line in its relationship with Israel due to its ties with other countries in the region. Three of Azerbaijan's neighbours—Russia, Iran, and Turkey—are vocal supporters of the Palestinian cause, and Azerbaijan must carefully navigate its relationships to avoid alienating these countries.

The recent conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza highlighted this delicate balance, with Azerbaijan condemning violence against civilians on both sides while refraining from explicitly condemning Israel or calling for a ceasefire. This stance allowed Azerbaijan to maintain its ties with Israel while not damaging its standing in the Islamic world.

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