Israeli President Highlights Common Threat Of Iran In Baku

Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev discussed the threat of Iran in Baku on Tuesday.

“We look at the regional security structure that is threatened by Iran - a topic that we discussed in depth,” Herzog said following his meeting with Aliyev, “and we expect to develop cooperation between us in many fields.”

Azerbaijan and Israel have been expanding bilateral relations for many years, with Herzog's visit being the latest step. Israel has had an embassy in Baku since 1992 and in March, Azerbaijan opened its own in Tel Aviv.

“Iran is a destabilizing influence in the region that is working continuously to act against Israel and against the alliance of peace and security that is developing in the region, and I will certainly discuss this,” said the Israeli president.

Herzog will participate in a ceremony celebrating Israel's 75th birthday along with the local Jewish community on Wednesday.

Oil and gas rich Azerbaijan gets 69% of its military weapons from Israel, and Israel imports 40% of its oil from the Caucasian state which shares a border with Iran.

It has been a tense few months between Tehran and Baku. Iran angrily reacted to Azerbaijan’s opening an embassy in Tel Aviv in March, accusing it of aiding Israel in its operations against the regime, in addition to relations souring following an armed attack on Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tehran in January. Iran has also carried out military drills over the border in a bid to intimidate its neighbor.