The Jerusalem Post: Once the war with Israel began, Iran expanded its propaganda campaign against Azerbaijan

Published: 2025-06-26 08:20

"Once the war began, Iran expanded its propaganda campaign. Officials claimed they weren’t just fighting Israel, but a broader coalition allegedly including the United States, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Qatar. This time, Iranian disinformation was more subtle—relying on fringe figures, foreign media, and online rumors rather than official statements," according to the Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post.

"One prominent example: former Egyptian MP Samir Ghattas, labeled as a Middle East expert, told Arabic news outlets that Israeli fighter jets were likely using airbases in Azerbaijan—claims mirroring Iranian talking points. Iranian Telegram channels then echoed the accusation: if Azerbaijan was truly neutral, they argued, it should allow Iranian diplomats or Quds Force officers to inspect the bases. The implication was clear: Azerbaijan had something to hide. Further rumors claimed that Israeli intelligence, with Azerbaijani assistance, was recruiting ethnic Azerbaijanis inside Iran for espionage. The narrative gained enough traction to warrant a public denial by Hikmet Hajiyev, senior adviser to the Azerbaijani president, who dismissed the allegations as baseless misinformation," the newspaper emphasizes.

"Still, Iranian state outlets persisted. Reports continued to claim Israeli drones were entering Iranian airspace from Azerbaijani territory and that Baku was actively cooperating with Mossad. These assertions remained unconfirmed even by Iranian officials, including the country’s ambassador to Armenia. Nonetheless, pro-Iranian media in other countries—including Armenia—picked up the narrative uncritically, translating Tehran’s propaganda into English and distributing it internationally. The goal was clear: encourage Western outlets to amplify Iran’s version of the story," The Jerusalem Post adds.

By Azerbaijani-Israeli Alliance Global News