▲Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov (left) and Israeli Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen (right). Official photo.
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Israeli Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen has announced that he has granted Azerbaijani state-run oil and gas company SOCAR licenses to explore natural gas deposits in Israeli waters.
‘[This is] a historic day for Israel’s foreign relations and energy sector!’, Cohen said.
‘This is a historic milestone and a tremendous vote of confidence in the State of Israel’.
Cohen concluded by thanking Azerbaijan’s Economic Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, saying, ‘together, we will continue strengthening the ties between our nations and peoples’, noting that this was SOCAR’s first such project abroad. He also shared a photo of the two ministers holding the document granting SOCAR the exploratory licences.
Azerbaijan and Israel have emerged as somewhat unlikely allies in recent years, and have maintained close ties even as perceptions of Israel across the bulk of the Muslim world have plummeted since the beginning of the war in Gaza in 2023.
Many have credited Israeli-manufactured arms as playing a crucial role in helping Azerbaijan achieve success in its 2023 final lightning offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh.
The agreement on SOCAR’s licenses represented a sign that the bilateral ties have extended beyond military cooperation and into something deeper.
The signing of the document occurred during a visit by an Azerbaijani delegation to Israel, and was just one aspect of the trip.
In a post on X, Jabbarov said he met with his Israeli counterpart Nir Barkat, and that the two had ‘discussed the priorities for investment cooperation between the two countries, collaboration within industrial zones, and the strengthening of ties between business communities and entities’.
Nate joined OC Media as an editor after a year at The Kyiv Independent, where he covered Ukraine, Russia, and the South Caucasus. He has a background in grant writing and reporting on post-Soviet geopolitics, with a focus on conflict-sensitive journalism and human rights.
Bahruz Samadov submitted this article shortly before his arrest on 21 August. He was charged with treason on 23 August, and could face 12–20 years in prison or a life sentence if found guilty.
Despite long being ‘brotherly’ nations, the Israel-Gaza war appears to have exacerbated existing tensions between Turkey and Azerbaijan, potentially pushing the two countries apart irrevocably.
In recent months, relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey have been uncharacteristically cool. To observers
The Israeli Defence Forces have reportedly ordered off-duty personnel to leave Georgia and Azerbaijan, amidst fears of an attack on Israeli targets by Iran.
Israeli state-owned TV station Kan 11 reported that the order came on Monday, amid concerns that Iran might strike at Israeli targets either within Israel or in countries near Iran.
The Times of Israel reported that Israeli servicemembers ‘could presumably be in either country on vacation or to visit family’.
The Israeli Embassy in Geo
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has warned its citizens against travelling to Iran in the latest escalation of tensions between the two countries.
On 3 June, the Ministry ‘strongly advised’ against travel to Iran, stating that this was in light of a ‘terrorist’ attack against Azerbaijan’s embassy in Iran in January, and subsequent limited diplomatic representation in the country after the embassy was closed.
The announcement came shortly after an Azerbaijani citizen who had been missing for
Azerbaijani authorities have reportedly arrested 32 Shia men as tensions with neighbouring Iran continue to mount.
According to identical articles published across multiple pro-government media outlets on Monday, the men had planned to overthrow the government and create a religious state in Azerbaijan
The arrests came as tensions continued to flare between Azerbaijan and Iran. Periods of increased tension have frequently preceded crackdown on Shia religious figures in the country.
Accordi
