From mediation to reconstruction: Azerbaijan expands its Middle East role
By Tural Heybatov
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev took part in the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum. During his visit, President Aliyev held a number of bilateral meetings. However, the most closely watched by the media was his meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa, President of Syria for the transitional period.
This encounter went beyond the customary exchange of pleasantries — the two leaders discussed concrete issues, including potential cooperation in energy, infrastructure, and security, as well as the prospects for developing a trilateral format between Azerbaijan, Syria, and Türkiye. President Aliyev invited his Syrian counterpart to visit Azerbaijan, and the invitation was accepted with gratitude.
Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan stands ready to participate in Syria’s reconstruction and in strengthening the country’s stability — a position that was warmly welcomed by the Turkish side, as confirmed by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Source: AzerTAG
Some skeptics have attempted to portray Azerbaijan’s interest in Syria as being solely driven by a desire to align itself more closely with Türkiye. However, Baku has repeatedly demonstrated that, while the Azerbaijani-Turkish relationship is rooted in deep fraternal ties, Azerbaijan pursues its own sovereign interests and independent approaches. At times, the steps taken by Baku show that Azerbaijan can act outside of Türkiye’s orbit. A notable example is Baku’s close relationship with Tel Aviv, which has often stood at odds with Ankara — at times reaching the brink of a diplomatic rupture.
Azerbaijan is an independent regional actor with its own interests in Syria. Given Syria’s geographic location, resource potential, and strategic significance, the country holds considerable interest for Baku, especially as Azerbaijan continues to expand its influence. Today, Azerbaijan’s presence and partnerships extend as far as Africa. At the same time, Azerbaijan is a highly advantageous partner for Syria — it serves as a bridge between civilizations and maintains friendly relations with both Israel and Türkiye. For Syria, this dual relationship could prove especially valuable during periods of regional tension.
Thus, Azerbaijan’s involvement in shaping Syria’s future is beneficial to all sides.
Source: AzerTAG
Azerbaijan’s rising profile in the Middle East was further highlighted by recently revealed details of Baku’s mediation between Türkiye and Israel during a period of strained relations. After President Aliyev publicly acknowledged this diplomatic initiative during a speech at ADA University, both Israeli and Turkish officials confirmed that talks between the two countries had indeed been taking place in Baku. Facilitating reconciliation between two rival powers competing for regional influence is no easy task — and the degree to which Baku succeeds could have a profound impact on the trajectory of developments in Syria and across the Middle East.
According to some reports, Middle Eastern nations are already beginning to consider Azerbaijan’s role as a potential mediator. Last year, The Jerusalem Post reported that Lebanon had conveyed a message to Israel via Azerbaijan, stating that Beirut did not want a war between the two countries. While this was the only report of its kind, and lacked further details or confirmation, the idea itself is far from implausible. Azerbaijan possesses the credentials to serve as a stabilizing force in the region. Few actors can mediate conflicts involving Arab countries and Israel — and even fewer enjoy the kind of trust that would compel Tel Aviv to listen. Analysts believe Azerbaijan has succeeded in building trust with all sides while maintaining neutrality throughout various crises. This rare positioning makes Baku an indispensable mediator capable of ensuring a balance of interests.
It is worth noting that Azerbaijan has never issued any sharp statements against Israel, even during periods when Tel Aviv was harshly criticized by the international community — including by traditional allies. While maintaining strong ties with Israel, Azerbaijan has also been sensitive to the concerns of Arab countries. A prime example was Baku’s humanitarian aid shipment to Gaza, which did not affect Azerbaijani-Israeli relations. On the contrary, it underscored the high level of mutual understanding and trust. Even the absence of an Azerbaijani embassy in Israel has always been met with understanding by the Israeli side. At the same time, Baku has managed to avoid inflaming tensions with the Arab world during times of intense confrontation with Israel.
In short, Azerbaijan has a meaningful role to play in the Middle East, and its presence can contribute to regional stability.
Source: Reuters
On the economic front, Azerbaijan today maintains strong partnerships with many countries in the region. Its mutually beneficial cooperation with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other states is well established. In relation to conflict-ridden countries of the Middle East, Azerbaijan offers a robust humanitarian portfolio. One should recall the Azerbaijani government’s active role in providing aid to developing countries during the pandemic and its contribution to institutionalizing the Non-Aligned Movement during its chairmanship. These efforts demonstrate that Azerbaijan’s actions are no longer confined to the mandates of international organizations — the country now acts independently, shaping its own global agenda.
Baku also recognized new opportunities amid Türkiye’s growing influence in Syria. The weakening of Bashar al-Assad’s grip on power and the shift in the geopolitical landscape created space for Azerbaijan to pursue its expanding political and economic interests. And Azerbaijan certainly has much to offer. In particular, it can share its expertise in the oil and gas sector. The state oil company SOCAR is now actively operating beyond national borders, and for the first time in its history, Azerbaijan is involved in hydrocarbon extraction abroad — in Israel. Azerbaijani energy interests are also expanding into Africa and other regions.
Additionally, Azerbaijan has a strong track record in developing transportation corridors and organizing logistics networks — capabilities that could prove highly useful to Syria and beyond.
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