Iran, Azerbaijan hold military drill in disputed Nagorno-Karabakh: What to know
Military cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan is increasing as overall relations improve after years of tensions over Armenia and Israel.
Iran and Azerbaijan held a joint military drill on Monday, their second in the past six months in the latest sign of a thaw between the two countries.
An Iranian delegation arrived in Baku on Sunday for the Araz-2025 exercise that will run from May 18-21. The opening ceremony was held on Monday and the exercise will last until Wednesday, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said.
The special forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ ground force are participating in the exercise alongside Azerbaijan’s military in the Karabakh region, the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported.
Karabakh is a region that encompasses parts of Azerbaijan and Armenia, including the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The two countries have fought numerous wars over the latter. Azerbaijan successfully captured Nagorno-Karabakh in late 2023, prompting a mass exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians from the area.
