NEIGHBOURHOOD IS POSSIBLE

Azerbaijan and Iran have been presented with a new opportunity to address existing issues in their bilateral relations and, more broadly, to develop successfully, as demonstrated by the outcomes of Hikmet Hajiyev's visit. As Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, Hajiyev's visit to the Islamic Republic supports this assertion.

Meetings and Statements

During Hajiyev's meetings with key figures in Iranian politics, a mutual interest in expanding the dialogue between Baku and Tehran was reaffirmed. In his conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Hajiyev expressed Azerbaijan's desire to deepen bilateral ties and conveyed an invitation from the Azerbaijani head of state for Pezeshkian to visit Baku. In response, Pezeshkian thanked him for the invitation and sent sincere greetings to President Ilham Aliyev. During discussions with Mehdi Sanai, Political Advisor to the Iranian President, who had invited the visit, Hajiyev also articulated Azerbaijan's commitment to "developing political, economic, and cultural ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran based on good-neighbourly principles". The Assistant to the President emphasised that "the key element of bilateral relations is confidence building and elimination of possible misunderstandings," assuring that Azerbaijan poses no threat to Iran. Sanai noted that Azerbaijan is not only an important and valuable neighbour for Iran but also a country with deep historical, kinship, and friendship ties. He added that "the current level of bilateral relations does not correspond to their potential and interests of both sides," advocating for extending interaction beyond diplomatic channels to include public and private spheres.

Significant statements regarding the prospects of Azerbaijani-Iranian cooperation were made during Hajiyev's meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Chairman of Iran's Strategic Council for Foreign Relations Kamal Kharrazi, and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Akbar Ahmadian.

Araghchi remarked that "the administration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attaches special importance to developing relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan based on mutual respect and trust," affirming Tehran's support for "the will of regional states to resolve problems through negotiations, using regional opportunities and avoiding destructive interference from extra-regional states." Ahmadian emphasised that "enemies and ill-wishers of the two countries—Iran and Azerbaijan—want to destroy friendly relations between them," underlining "our obligation to preserve and develop friendship and brotherhood." Hajiyev highlighted Azerbaijan's commitment to expanding contacts between the two countries based on mutual respect and trust across all spheres, asserting that "no foreign country will be able to destroy these relations."

Hajiyev's visit followed several significant developments in the bilateral relationship, including the regular meeting of the Azerbaijan-Iran Commission on Economic, Trade, and Humanitarian Cooperation in Tehran on January 22-23 (following a nearly three-year hiatus). This meeting resulted in agreements concerning preferential trade, road and rail transport, and an increase in flights between the two countries. The early completion of the North-South corridor is also crucial, as demonstrated by the agreement between the railway departments of Azerbaijan and Iran regarding the completion of works on the Astara terminal. During the meeting, Farzana Sadig, Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran, observed that Azerbaijan holds a pivotal position in the context of freight traffic between Russia and Iran. The Resht (Iran)-Astara (Azerbaijan) section of the North-South corridor is of particular significance. This underscores Azerbaijan's crucial role in establishing transport and communication corridors, both East-West and North-South. This affirmation is reflected in the Russian-Iranian Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement concluded on January 17, which states that the key railway line of the North-South corridor will pass through Azerbaijan. Overall, there are ample reasons to believe that recent progress between Azerbaijan and Iran, including the outcomes of Hajiyev's visit, will enhance the atmosphere in bilateral relations. This sentiment is shared by assessments from both sides; Hajiyev emphasised that an agreement was reached to continue efforts to strengthen mutual trust between Baku and Tehran, while the official representative of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ismail Begayi, expressed hope that such visits "will be a good start for better understanding common problems and improving relations between the two countries."It is evident that improving bilateral ties necessitates, first and foremost, strengthening mutual trust—an imperative emphasised in both Baku and Tehran. Azerbaijan has consistently demonstrated its commitment to good-neighbourliness with Iran and is not a source of existing distrust, including assurances that its territory will not be utilized for anti-Iranian actions by third parties. The Iranian side's recurring concerns about Azerbaijan's cooperation with Israel lack factual basis.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan has always viewed cooperation with Iran as a vital element of pan-regional integration and security systems, as reflected in its initiative to develop the "3+3" format. During a meeting with Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council A. Ahmadian in Baku on January 8, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev emphasised that "our country supports resolving regional issues by regional states."

However, it is important to note that there have been instances of Iran not giving due consideration to Azerbaijani interests while strengthening its relations with Armenia. This disregard was evident during Armenia's 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories and continues today as Azerbaijan asserts its sovereignty and territorial integrity following its victory in the Garabagh war.

Addressing the Causes of Mistrust

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated in an interview with local TV channels that the deterioration of relations with Iran "did not happen through our fault." He recalled the clear disrespect for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty by Iran at the conclusion of the 44-day war in 2020, evidenced by regular illegal trips of Iranian petrol tankers from Armenia to Azerbaijan's Garabagh region. Additionally, Iran has attempted to intimidate Azerbaijan through military exercises along their border, but Baku has responded adequately to such provocations from Tehran. Following this, a terrorist act was committed against the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran in January 2023, resulting in the death of Embassy staff member Orkhan Askerov. As Aliyev stated, "it was an organized terrorist act." Azerbaijan also considers it unacceptable that justice has not yet been served against the perpetrator of this act (the Iranian court has sent the case for further investigation).

Azerbaijani-Iranian relations are complicated by Iran's increasing support for Armenia, with Tehran having accepted the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia for three decades without objection. However, there is now particular concern in Tehran over alleged threats to Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Iranian officials have repeatedly emphasised the inadmissibility of "any changes to internationally recognised borders" and have expressed strong opposition to the implementation of the Zangezur corridor, a commitment made by Armenia under the trilateral statement issued on 10 November 2020.It is noteworthy that Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani stated during a press conference on 6 February that Iran is "the only state in the region that supports Armenia" in rejecting the Zangezur corridor.

In its support for Armenia, Iran seems willing to overlook its rapprochement with Western powers. Tehran has reacted with "understanding" to Armenia's strategic partnership agreement signed with Washington—Iran's declared enemy. Sobhani expressed satisfaction with the assurance given by the Armenian authorities that this document does not threaten Armenian-Iranian relations; he also revealed ongoing discussions between Iran and Armenia regarding a comprehensive strategic document slated for signing by both countries' leaders.

Azerbaijan has expressed concerns regarding the nature of the cooperation between Iran and Armenia, insisting that it must not compromise its own legitimate interests, including the assurance that Armenia fulfils its obligation to provide a transport link connecting Nakhchivan with mainland Azerbaijan through its territory.

Tensions in the relationship between Azerbaijan and Iran have been further exacerbated by continuous insults directed at Azerbaijan and its leadership from Iranian politicians and clergy. Prior to Hajiyev's visit to Tehran, Seyyid Jafar Aghaei Marian, Chargé d'Affaires at the Iranian Embassy in Baku, was summoned by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry to protest against an anti-Azerbaijani campaign conducted by Iranian publications close to government circles. It was also expressed that, rather than apologising for the derogatory statements made by Imam-juma Seyyid Hassan Ameli against Azerbaijan, a campaign in support of him was underway in Iran.

Amidst this difficult backdrop, Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President, visited Iran. During his meetings, important declarations were made regarding elevating Azerbaijani-Iranian relations to a qualitatively new level that aligns with both states' strategic interests. Another significant event during Hajiyev's visit was a tour of the new administrative building of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran. Collectively, these developments foster hope for overcoming tensions in relations between Azerbaijan and Iran while achieving mutual trust and expanding bilateral political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation.