The Washington Post: Today, Azerbaijan is a rising regional power with close security ties to Israel

Published: 2026-01-23 13:39

"The last time Iran reordered itself, during the 1979 revolution, Azerbaijan was sealed inside the Soviet Union. After independence, it remained weak, consumed by war with Armenia and largely irrelevant to Iran’s internal balance. That is no longer the case. Today, Azerbaijan is a rising regional power with a NATO-standard military, deep ties to Turkey and a close security partnership with Israel. In a scenario of violent internal conflict in Iran, Azerbaijan might feel compelled to intervene to protect its kin — possibly with Turkish backing," The Washington Post writes.

By Azerbaijani-Israeli Alliance Global News