Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has publicly confirmed that his country is serving as a mediator between Syria and Israel, with the stated aim of contributing to peace and stability in the Middle East.
Speaking in a televised interview with Al Arabiya English on Wednesday, President Aliyev revealed that a meeting between Syrian and Israeli officials had already taken place under Azerbaijani mediation. While he did not disclose the venue, multiple media outlets have reported that such talks were hosted in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, over recent months.
The confirmation comes after a series of diplomatic initiatives. The Baku-mediated talks were followed by two meetings in Paris, facilitated by the United States, which signalled a move towards more public and direct negotiations. These efforts have unfolded against a backdrop of heightened security tensions in southern Syria.
Regional Tensions Persist Despite Diplomacy
The mediation process continues amid ongoing military escalations. The Israeli occupation army has repeatedly entered Syrian territory, most recently carrying out a drone strike in Al-Kiswah that killed six Syrian military personnel. Such actions have persisted even though the Syrian administration formed in December 2024 has not issued any formal threat to Tel Aviv.
Azerbaijan Extends Support Beyond Diplomacy
Alongside its mediation role, Azerbaijan is expanding cooperation with Syria through humanitarian and energy assistance. President Aliyev disclosed that Azerbaijani gas is now reaching Syria under a quadrilateral agreement signed last month with Turkey, Syria and Qatar.
“We reached an agreement on supplying 1.2 billion cubic metres of gas at present, but this volume could be increased in the future,” Aliyev said.
This energy partnership was formalised on 12 July through a Memorandum of Understanding between Syria and Azerbaijan. The first phase of the gas supply project, funded by Qatar and routed through Turkey, began on 2 August. It provides Syria with about 3.4 million cubic metres of gas per day, allocated for electricity generation at gas-powered plants.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
