Iranian president’s visit to Azerbaijan: strengthening ties and addressing issues

Official visit of Iranian president to Azerbaijan

Today, on 28 April, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is paying an official visit to Baku at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The aim of the visit is to normalise relations, which have become strained in recent years, and to expand opportunities for cooperation in the economic, trade, energy, and transport sectors.

Pezeshkian’s visit is primarily aimed at strengthening historical, cultural, and social ties. In an interview with Azerbaijani state television, he described Iran as a “second homeland” for Azerbaijanis. New agreements in the fields of transport, energy, and the economy are expected to be signed during the visit.

Visit amid issues

In recent years, relations between Iran and Azerbaijan have faced various challenges:

• Ties with Israel: Azerbaijan’s growing closeness with Israel is perceived by Tehran as a threat.
• Diplomatic tensions: In 2023, an attack on Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tehran seriously undermined diplomatic relations.
• The Zangezur Corridor: Iran believes that this project goes against its regional interests.

Despite all this, recent joint military exercises and high-level meetings have helped to restore ties.

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Iranian spies in Azerbaijan. On May 16, law enforcement agencies of Azerbaijan announced the arrest of another “pro-Iranian” group

Agenda of the visit

The main areas to be discussed during Pezeshkian’s visit to Baku include:

• Transport: The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and projects for building road bridges over the Araz River.
• Economic and trade cooperation: Ways to increase trade turnover between the two countries.
• Energy: Issues related to the transit of Russian gas through Iran to Azerbaijan.
• Security: The impact of Azerbaijan’s relations with Israel and the Zangezur Corridor project.

Is Iran backing down on 'Zangezur Corridor'? View from Baku

According to Azerbaijani experts, there are several reasons for Iran’s recent “softening” of its position on the “Zangezur Corridor.” One of these reasons is the defeat of Azerbaijan’s southern neighbor in the Middle East.

Pezeshkian’s background

Masoud Pezeshkian was elected president of Iran in 2024. He is an ethnic Azerbaijani, which may contribute to his efforts to establish closer and friendlier relations with Azerbaijan. In his speeches, Pezeshkian openly highlights his Azerbaijani heritage.

Expected outcomes

The main expectations from the visit are:

• Signing cooperation agreements.
• Strengthening historical and cultural ties.
• Supporting regional stability.

However, issues related to Israel and the Zangezur Corridor could pose challenges during the negotiations.

Diplomatic duel between Azerbaijan and Iran

An exchange of accusations took place between the military departments of the two countries. Later diplomats joined the diplomatic duel directly