Baku — August 27, 2025
President Ilham Aliyev’s recent interview with Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya channel has drawn significant attention, with Azerbaijani lawmakers describing his remarks as a clear statement of the country’s principled foreign policy.
Speaking to Oxu.Az, MP Mushfiq Jafarov said Aliyev’s comments once again conveyed Azerbaijan’s stance on key regional and global issues:
“The President’s explanation regarding the declaration signed at the White House was especially important. He made it clear that compliance with the agreement is not just the responsibility of Armenia’s government but of the Armenian state itself.”
Jafarov noted that Aliyev also addressed relations with Russia, stressing that Azerbaijan bears no responsibility for the current downturn:
“The President underlined that Azerbaijan will never tolerate aggression or disrespect. The latest OMON incident was not an isolated episode but part of the harsher political rhetoric directed at Baku.”
According to the MP, these developments show a new stage in Azerbaijani–Russian relations:
“Clashes of interest have happened before, but this time the actions of Russia’s power structures and the public display of tensions mark a shift. Against this backdrop, Azerbaijan is maintaining a balanced yet principled stance, strengthening its leadership role in the region.”
Jafarov stressed that despite Azerbaijan making strategic gestures toward Moscow after the Second Karabakh War — including refusing to join anti-Russian sanctions — certain circles in Russia continue to make “serious mistakes” in their Caucasus policy.
“Azerbaijan today has become a reliable, independent decision-maker in the region. The future of the Caucasus can no longer be shaped without Baku’s participation,” the MP concluded.
