Politics | August 8, 2025 | Washington
Azerbaijan is determined to strengthen its role as a key transit country, President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with journalists in Washington following the signing of a landmark peace declaration with Armenia.
“We want the corridors crossing our territory to be used more actively for cargo transport. This brings revenue, creates jobs, and generates political influence,” Aliyev emphasized.
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The president noted that the agreement with Armenia clearly demonstrates Azerbaijan’s commitment to peace, but also to connectivity — including safe, secure links between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, which he said would “unlock opportunities for the entire region, including Armenia itself.”
Aliyev also hailed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Exxon and SOCAR, predicting it would lead to a major project, and pointed to the potential discovery of significant new oil resources. “We believe in the future of this project. If we didn’t, we would not have attended the signing ceremony,” he said.
On Armenia’s constitutional changes, Aliyev stressed that Yerevan must remove territorial claims against Azerbaijan, calling it a matter of respect for the United States and a prerequisite for signing the peace accord.
The president rejected past allegations by some foreign leaders that Azerbaijan planned to attack Armenia, accusing the Biden administration of fueling “Azerbaijanophobia” in Washington. “Today we are witnessing a truly historic day for security, stability, peace, economic opportunity, investment, and energy security in the South Caucasus,” he said.
Aliyev highlighted discussions with the U.S. Export-Import Bank on resource projects, infrastructure, and transport, noting that energy will remain a priority. Currently, Azerbaijani natural gas is supplied to 14 countries, including 10 NATO members.
He described August 8 as a historic day in bilateral relations, pointing to the symbolic signing in the Oval Office of a document repealing the unjust Section 907 amendment to the Freedom Support Act. “President Trump could have done it another way, at another time, but he chose to do it in the presence of the President of Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
Aliyev called the launch of a U.S.–Azerbaijan strategic partnership format an historic milestone, with a future agenda covering mutual investment, energy, transport, transit, security, artificial intelligence, and defense cooperation.
“We cannot waste time,” he concluded. “If Azerbaijan and Armenia have initialed a peace agreement, its official signing should not be delayed.”
