IRGC-affiliated media warns: Baku “in Tehran’s crosshairs”

Published: 2026-01-24 11:39

Israel has ramped up its reliance on Azerbaijani oil to an unprecedented level, making Baku one of its key energy suppliers, according to Fars, an Iranian news agency affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The move is described as a “strategic miscalculation for Baku.”

According to the news outlet, Iran’s updated security doctrine—framed as a policy of preemptive regional defense—envisions retaliatory strikes not only against a primary adversary in the event of an attack, but also against the military bases, infrastructure, and interests of any country that provides territory or capabilities for operations against Iran.

Fars argues that shipping Azerbaijani oil to Israel “turns Azerbaijan into part of the Zionist regime’s security chain” and places it “on the front line” of Iran’s target list.

The outlet also claims Israel is Azerbaijan’s main arms supplier and points to reports alleging the Israeli Air Force has access to bases near Iran’s border—used for intelligence and surveillance and, under certain scenarios, potentially for strikes against Iran.

“Azerbaijan is voluntarily turning itself into Israel’s energy and regional shield,” Fars claims, adding that Tehran no longer views Azerbaijan as a neutral neighbor or mediator but as “part of the enemy’s security chain.”

In what it describes as a message from Tehran to Baku, Ankara, and other regional capitals, Fars warns that Iran would make no distinction between direct participants and regional enablers, and that crossing a “red line” would carry a high price. It portrays the threat of a large-scale regional war as part of Iran’s official defense strategy, backed by missile capabilities and allied networks.

“The red line has been drawn, and crossing it will directly place Azerbaijan in Tehran’s crosshairs,” the news outlet warns.

By Azerbaijani-Israeli Alliance Global News