Latest news with #Azerbaijanis
Middle East Eye
8 hours ago
- Business
- Middle East Eye
Azerbaijan maintains oil sales to Israel despite Turkish backlash, says report
Azerbaijan has vowed to Israel that it will continue supplying the country with oil, despite officially halting oil sales last year, according to a report in Haaretz. Baku recently removed oil sales to Israel from its customs records, after steady year-on-year increases in exports to the country which had reached over a million tons in 2024. According to the records, exports to Israel stopped in October amid the war on Gaza. However, Israeli sources told Haaretz that the sales have continued, and that the change in customs records may be due to the transactions being made to traders registered in third countries. "We received a promise from the Azerbaijanis that the strategic relations will continue, including in the energy sector, and we have nothing to worry about," one source said. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Two Israeli sources said that the halt on sales in October was driven by pressure from Turkey, Baku's most important political and military ally. Azerbaijan's state oil company to invest $7bn in Turkey Read More » The Turkish pressure, Haaretz reported, is partly due to the fact that Azerbaijani oil exported to Israel is carried by the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, running through Turkey. Ankara cut trade ties with Israel in May last year over the war on Gaza and Israeli refusal to allow Turkey to airdrop humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinian enclave. Several Turkish opposition parties and voices have protested against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, accusing it of continuing to supply Israel with Azerbaijani oil. Protests have also taken place outside the Istanbul office of Socar, Azerbaijan's state oil company. The Israeli source told Haaretz: "Even if Azerbaijan stops exporting oil to Israel, we will not collapse. We will bring it from somewhere else. "But they want to balance the situation in which they are dependent only on us, from a security perspective.' Tankers turning off tracking signal Israel provided military and diplomatic assistance to Azerbaijan in its offensive against Armenia in September 2023, which resulted in an Azerbaijani takeover of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Ilham Shaban, the chairman of the Azerbaijani Caspian Barrel Oil Research Centre, told Haaretz that by selling oil through individuals, it can avoid publicising that the exports eventually end up in Israel. He said that Baku could then claim that the sales do 'not fuel the planes that annihilate Palestinian children'. Analysis in November found evidence of 'systemised trade' in crude oil between Turkey and Israel, despite Ankara's trade embargo over the war. The Stop Fuelling Genocide campaign released evidence that suggested that the Seavigour tanker shipped crude oil from Turkey's Ceyhan port to a pipeline near Ashkelon in Israel. Cop29 turns heat up on Turkey and Azerbaijan over oil exports to Israel Read More » The port is the last stop on the BP-owned Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. The oil is then shipped from the Heydar Aliyev Terminal at Ceyhan to Israel, accounting for almost 30 percent of its crude oil imports. The researchers tracked 10 journeys made in 2024 by the Kimolos tanker between Ceyhan and Ashkelon, with eight of them occurring after Turkey announced its embargo in May. Despite the ship turning off its tracking signal for several days in the Eastern Mediterranean to mask its route, the researchers managed to identify it as docking in Israel 10 times using satellite imagery. Port logs for the Kimolos reveal that on a typical trip to Israel, the tanker is registered as being bound for Egypt, leaving with a full load of oil. But the tanker does not dock in Egypt, instead 'disappearing' for a few days in the Eastern Mediterranean. This strategy follows a similar pattern to that of the Seavigour, which also turned off its location transponder and reappeared in Sicily days later. The Turkish energy ministry has repeatedly denied that any oil tankers bound for Israel have left Ceyhan since May, stating that 'companies transporting oil through the BTC pipeline for export to global markets from Haydar Aliyev Terminal have respected Turkiye's recent decision not to engage in trade with Israel'. Middle East Eye previously reported that the advocacy group Oil Change International, which authored a report tracking oil shipments to Israel up until July 2024, said its data sources showed multiple shipments from Ceyhan since May. A Turkish official previously told MEE that BP sells oil to intermediary companies, which Ankara cannot control, and tankers pick up the oil "without declaring their final destination".
Qatar Tribune
01-06-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Azerbaijan keen to strengthen cooperation with Qatar: Envoy
Ashraf Siddiqui Doha Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Qatar HE Adish Mammadov has praised the flourishing bilateral ties between the two countries, highlighting their deep bond rooted in shared moral values and a profound sense of brotherhood. Speaking at a reception hosted on Thursday to commemorate Azerbaijan Independence Day, the envoy noted that the warm ties are significantly strengthened by the personal rapport between President Ilham Aliyev and the Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The reception was graced by distinguished attendees, including Minister of Transport of Qatar HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani, Director of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar HE Ambassador Ibrahim Fakhro, Dean of the Asian Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam HE Mohamed Haji Abu Bakar, Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva, members of the diplomatic corps and members of the Azerbaijani community in Qatar. Ambassador Mammadov underlined Azerbaijan's keen interest in further strengthening the longstanding brotherhoodand collaboration including in political, economic, trade, and cultural spheres to the benefit of both nations. He noted that 2023 marked the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Qatar and highlighted the tradition of mutual support not only at international forums but also in bilateral engagements. Despite the evolving level of economic and trade cooperation, he expressed optimism about expanding this collaboration further. High-level visits and agreements across various governance areas, along with regular inter-ministerial consultations, have fortified these ties, he said, adding that cultural initiatives, such as Azerbaijani Culture Days in Doha and Qatari Culture Days in Baku, have also deepened connections. In 2023, Qatar received over 2,500 Azerbaijani tourists, and many Azerbaijanis are working in Qatar, reflecting robust people-to-people links, the envoy added. Talking about the significance of the celebrations, he said that Azerbaijan commemorated 107 years since the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first secular republic in the Islamic East, declared on May 28, 1918. He added that though it lasted only two years before being occupied by the Bolsheviks, Azerbaijan's statehood aspirations endured. After the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, Azerbaijan reasserted its independence, building strong diplomatic ties worldwide, with 90 missions abroad and hosting 88 countries and 15 consulates. Paying tributes to Heydar Aliyev's vision of prioritising national interests and Ataturk's principle of 'peace at home, peace in the world', he said that Azerbaijan has become a hub of economic and trade cooperation, striving for peace and stability in the Caucasus. He said that with its rich natural resources, Azerbaijan exported 12 billion cubic metres of gas to Europe in 2023, aiming to reach 20 billion by 2027. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, operational since 2006, continues to bolster economic growth. Mammadov said that Azerbaijan is also investing in renewable energy and modern transport infrastructure, transforming its role as a key logistics bridge between East and West. Its active international presence was reflected in chairing the Non-Aligned Movement and hosting COP29 in Baku. He said that with a multicultural and tolerant society, Azerbaijan remains committed to peace and reconstruction, especially in the liberated Karabakh region. The guests were treated to the rich flavours of Azerbaijani national cuisine, all while enjoying the melodies of traditional Azerbaijani melodious music – Gunay Imamverdiyeva (Singer); Toghrul Asadullayev (Tar player); and Kamal Nuriyev (Kaman player). On Saturday, Azerbaijan embassy organised a concert 'My Azerbaijan' at the Dukhan Auditorium, University of Doha for Science and Technology.
Euronews
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Nowruz in Azerbaijan: Celebrating with fire, feasting, and tradition
ADVERTISEMENT Nowruz is a cherished festival in Azerbaijan, marking the arrival of spring and the renewal of nature. With roots in Zoroastrianism, it symbolises the triumph of light over darkness. Families gather for festive meals, visit loved ones and take part in ancient traditions such as jumping on bonfires to purge past negativity. Public celebrations feature music, dance and traditional costumes. More than a seasonal event, Nowruz unites Azerbaijanis in joy and fosters a sense of identity, hope and new beginnings.
Euronews
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Nowruz in Azerbaijan: Celebrating Persian New Year with fire, feasting, and tradition
ADVERTISEMENT Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is a cherished festival in Azerbaijan, marking the arrival of spring and the renewal of nature. With roots in Zoroastrianism, it symbolises the triumph of light over darkness. Families gather for festive meals, visit loved ones and take part in ancient traditions such as jumping on bonfires to purge past negativity. Public celebrations feature music, dance and traditional costumes. More than a seasonal event, Nowruz unites Azerbaijanis in joy and fosters a sense of identity, hope and new beginnings.
Shafaq News
26-03-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraqis buy +200 properties in Turkiye in early 2025
Shafaq News/ Iraqi citizens purchased over 200 properties in Turkiye during the first two months of 2025, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) reported on Wednesday. "Iraqis bought 202 properties in Turkiye from January through February, compared to 211 properties during the same period last year," the institute said. Iraqis ranked third among foreign buyers of Turkish real estate in early 2025, behind Russia with 504 properties and Iran with 295. Ukrainians followed in fourth place with 180 purchases, Germany ranked fifth with 156, and Azerbaijanis secured sixth with 137.
