Azerbaijan Embassy In Israel A ‘Catalyst’ To Ever-Growing Ties

Violence From Iran

As ties with Israel have blossomed, Iranian incitement against Azerbaijan has devolved into violence.

In January, a brazen attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran killed the diplomatic mission’s chief of security, while an Azerbaijani MP critical of Iran faced an assassination attempt in Baku.

Since then, the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran has remained shuttered.

After Azerbaijan’s 2020 war with Armenia, Iran held two military exercises along the border, and then opened a consulate general in Armenia as it expands its military ties with Azerbaijan’s arch-enemy.

The intricate geopolitical dance of alliances as the countries juggle interests in the region even supersedes religion; Iran shares the same religion as Azerbaijan, while Armenia is Christian.

“Our relations with Iran are at their lowest level in our history,” said Mammadov, adding, “We want stable relations with all our neighbors.”

Some 25 million Azerbaijanis live in Iran.

Turkey Ties—We Want Our Friends To Be Friends

At the same time, Mammadov said that he would like to see Israel and Azerbaijan’s top ally, Turkey, improve relations.

“Our wish is for our friends to be friends,” he said. “We are ready to support that effort.”

He noted that after the recent earthquake in Turkey, Azerbaijani and Israeli rescue teams were the largest ones on the ground.

“This has not gone without notice,” he said. “We are hopeful for the [complete] normalization of relations between Israel and Turkey,” he said, speaking just days before Turkey’s national elections.

Trade And Tourism

Mammadov said that he hopes to buttress trade ties with Israel, including in the fields of tourism, agriculture, investments and technology, to the high level of existing political ties. He noted that at the end of March a cybersecurity center was established in Baku in cooperation with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, while a delegation of Azerbaijani teachers is currently training with the ORT Schools in Israel.

Given the centuries of historic ties between the two countries, the ambassador sees potential for growth in tourism.

About 50,000 Israelis visited Azerbaijan in 2019 before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, he said. There are currently nine direct flights a week (including six Azerbaijani and three Israeli carriers) with easy visa procedures—either online or on arrival in Baku—for Israeli visitors who wish to make the less than three-hour trip.

“We have no anti-Semitism, and a multicultural environment with synagogues and kosher food,” he noted.

Israel’s Spirit Of Innovation—And Cuisine

Over the last two months, Mammadov said that he has been struck by the warmth of Israelis, which he attributes in part to the 80,000 strong Jews from Azerbaijan who moved to Israel.

The Azerbaijani ambassador was unphased by the Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel last week, some of which triggered sirens in Tel Aviv. “This is nothing new for me,” he said, citing decades of conflict with Armenia.

In the meantime, he said has been “loving” Israel, singling out the food scene.

“Israel is known as the start-up nation, [but] I really like the chefs’ innovation in cuisine,” he said.

“There is innovation and creativity in the genes here, be it in hi-tech or any other aspect of life, striving to make life better with innovation,” he concluded.