Iranian president's visit to Azerbaijan: Baku, Tehran open new chapter in relations Media review

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to pay a visit to Azerbaijan next week, which is the latest sign of warming relations between neighbouring countries.

Pezeshkian will be travelling to Baku on April 28, at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Times of Israel.

Ahead of the visit on April 23, Pezeshkian expressed hopes for “rapid and serious improvement” in relations and cooperation between the two countries as part of a broader effort to “mend ties.”

Relations between the two countries have been strained for years, largely due to Baku’s close ties with Israel and a January 2023 attack on Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tehran, when a gunman killed a diplomat and wounded two security guards.

Another point of contention has been the Zangezur Corridor, a project Tehran has staunchly opposed, which would run along Iran's border with Armenia.

Last year, Iran and Azerbaijan held two days of joint naval exercises in the Caspian Sea, a sign of warming relations.

Meanwhile, the Iranian platform Iran Front Page reports that in a coordination meeting ahead of his official visit to Baku, President Pezeshkian said on April 23, “The Republic of Azerbaijan and Iran are parts of one body, with peoples on both sides of the border sharing extensive mutual interests rooted in millennia-old bonds of deep friendship and common values.”

The high-level meeting, chaired by President Pezeshkian, brought together Iran’s foreign, roads, energy, tourism, communications, and agriculture ministers, as well as the Central Bank governor, political advisors, and governors of border provinces.

The president highlighted the “vast and diverse” potential for deeper ties, expressing optimism that ongoing efforts to resolve misunderstandings would soon lead to a significant boost in relations.

He emphasised that strengthening government, private-sector, and people-to-people collaborations could rapidly advance economic and cultural exchanges.

The official visit, described by Tehran as opening “a new chapter” in bilateral relations, is expected to focus on boosting trade and cross-border cooperation between the neighbouring nations.

By Khagan Isayev