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Executive Summary: Iranian drones launched from Iranian territory struck Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on March 5, damaging civilian infrastructure near the international airport and a school. Baku condemned the attack as terrorism and demanded explanations, an apology, and accountability from Tehran. Azerbaijan rejected Iran’s denial of responsibility, citing technical monitoring confirming the drones’ Iranian origin….
The South Caucasus managed the geopolitical rivalries surrounding it remarkably well in 2025. Despite intensifying global competition and conflicts raging beyond its borders, the region avoided major military escalation and even made notable progress toward stability. For the first time in more than three decades, there were no deadly interstate clashes among the three South…
We can reasonably assume now that the drone attack on the Nakhchivan region of Azerbaijan was not a so-called flag operation by Israel or the US. It was a deliberate action by Iran. The question remains whether the decision was made in Tehran or at a lower command, but judging from the unofficial accounts associated…
Executive Summary: U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s February 9–11 visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan marked Washington’s most consequential engagement in the South Caucasus since the August 2025 peace summit. In Yerevan, Vance advanced a landmark U.S.–Armenia nuclear cooperation deal, backed AI technology and defense sales, and promoted TRIPP connectivity. In Baku, he signed a Strategic…
Situated at the crossroads of civilizations, cultures, and major transportation corridors stretching from east to west and north to south, and endowed with significant natural resources, the South Caucasus has historically occupied a central position in the geopolitical calculations of both regional and global powers. It is therefore no coincidence that American scholar Saul Bernard…
The relationship between Türkiye and the European Union is facing a critical juncture. For many years, the sides benefitted from unique economic arrangements which brought them closer, most notably through the Customs Union established between them in 1995. However, despite generating numerous advantages, the relationship is widely acknowledged not to have maximized its full potential, writes Huseyn…
Executive Summary: On January 29, AzerEnerji began construction of the Zangezur Energy Corridor, which aims to integrate Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Region exclave into Azerbaijan’s national energy grid via the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), also known as the Zangezur Corridor. The energy corridor’s goal is to enhance Azerbaijan’s domestic energy security while…
Developments in Azerbaijan’s energy sector throughout 2025 and early 2026 closely align with this assessment, reinforcing the country’s role not only as a stabilising gas supplier but also as an emerging hub for electricity transit and system balancing across multiple corridors. From the EU’s perspective, diversification remains the cornerstone of energy security. Despite the bloc’s…
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s February 9–11 visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan marked a structural turning point in the South Caucasus. Unlike previous high-level engagements of the United States that generated rhetorical alignment but limited follow-through, this visit embedded the region into long-term American economic, technological, and strategic frameworks. Taking place on the heels of…
The South Caucasus is entering a new phase of regional energy reconfiguration as Azerbaijan moves forward with plans to transmit electricity to its Nakhchivan exclave through southern Armenia, along the Zangezur corridor. What was once understood mainly as a transport initiative is now, under the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), evolving into an…
