Iran’s Ex-Envoy Sees No Prospect of Baku-Tel Aviv Strategic Ties
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran’s former ambassador to Azerbaijan ruled out the possibility of future strategic relations between Baku and the Tel Aviv regime, highlighting a great deal of discontent among Azeri people, even the Jewish residents, at the Israeli regime’s policies.
In an interview with the Tasnim News Agency, Mohsen Pakayeen underlined that no Muslim nation, including the Republic of Azerbaijan, would ever establish strategic ties with Israel.
“The people of Azerbaijan are Shiite Muslims and have a natural aversion to the Zionist regime, which is the archenemy of Islam and Muslims,” he explained, adding that even the Jewish Azeris are dissatisfied with the Israeli policies and have returned home shortly after emigration to the occupied Palestine.
As regards the Baku government’s ties with the Israeli regime, Pakayeen said Azerbaijan has its eye on arms purchases from Israel to counter Armenia and take control of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The former ambassador added that in private meetings during his term in Baku, Azeri officials had expressed dissatisfaction with arms deals with Israel.
Azeris complain about “obsolete Israeli weapons that had been purchased at exorbitant costs,” he stated.
The Israeli prime minister had pledged in his recent visit to Baku to provide Azerbaijan with the ‘iron dome’ air defense system, but such delivery has not taken place, Pakayeen noted.
Netanyahu visited Azerbaijan in December 2016. The rare visit drew condemnation from Muslims in the region.
Azerbaijan, which supplies 40 percent of Israel’s oil, is a notable trade partner of the regime. Baku has also maintained controversially strong military cooperation with Tel Aviv.
