No Prospects of Azeri-Israeli Strategic Ties

Iran's former ambassador to Azerbaijan ruled out the possibility of future strategic relations between Baku and Tel Aviv, highlighting a great deal of discontent among Azeri people, including the Jewish residents, at Israeli policies. In an interview with Tasnim News Agency published on Sunday, Mohsen Pakaeen stressed that no Muslim nation, including Azerbaijan, will ever establish strategic ties with Israel. "The people of Azerbaijan are Shia Muslims and have a natural aversion to the Zionist regime, which is the arch-enemy of Islam and Muslims," he said. He added that even the Jewish Azeris are dissatisfied with Israeli policies and have returned home shortly after emigration to the occupied Palestine. Commenting on the Baku government's ties with Israel, Pakaeen said Azerbaijan has its eye on arms purchases from Israel to counter Armenia and take control of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. "The Israeli prime minister pledged in his recent visit to Baku to provide Azerbaijan with the "iron dome" air defense system, but such a delivery has not taken place," he said. Netanyahu visited Azerbaijan in December 2016 and the rare visit drew condemnation from Muslims in the region.