Azerbaijan ambassador honored for remarks on Israel ties at Presidents' Conference

The Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Israel said bilateral ties are expanding across tourism, innovation, and political cooperation, speaking at the Presidents' Conference, where he was honored for his remarks on the relationship between the two countries.

“Soon we will have 27 flights a week from Israel to Baku. In 2025, 170,000 Israelis traveled through our country, and we expect further growth as a tourist route towards the East,” the ambassador said, pointing to a sharp increase in travel and connectivity.

He said Baku’s objective is to deepen engagement at multiple levels. “Our goal is to strengthen the ties between peoples and countries. Only space is the limit in our partnership. Since the beginning of the year, 3 of our ministers have visited Israel to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in various fields. From our perspective, the Abraham Accords are a step back from the level of deep cooperation between us,” he said.

Addressing criticism in the United States, the ambassador accused Armenian advocacy groups of targeting Azerbaijan. “The Armenian lobby is running an aggressive campaign against us in the US, similar to what has been done against Israel around the world. This will not deter us. We will not allow the radicalization of populations and certain groups within the country,” he said.

Israel and Azerbaijan maintain close diplomatic and economic relations, including cooperation in energy, defense, and technology. The ambassador’s remarks at the conference reflect the efforts being made by both countries to expand people-to-people ties alongside government-level engagement.