Azerbaijan, Russia voice concern over Israel-Iran standoff, urge diplomacy

On June 18, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a phone conversation to discuss pressing regional issues and bilateral cooperation.

According to a statement from Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, the ministers focused on the evolving situation caused by the Israeli-Iranian conflict, as per Caliber.Az.

Both sides expressed serious concern over the regional tensions and underscored the importance of resolving the conflict through diplomatic means.

During the call, Sergey Lavrov thanked Azerbaijani authorities and relevant agencies for their assistance in evacuating Russian citizens from Iran, including prominent figures from the arts community.

The conversation also covered other topics of mutual interest, strengthening the ongoing dialogue between the two countries on regional and bilateral matters.

On June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, targeting nuclear facilities, missile sites, and military installations across Iran. The strikes killed top Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists, damaged uranium enrichment plants, and disrupted Iran's air defences. 

Iran responded with Operation True Promise III, launching over 300 ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa. The attacks killed at least 24 civilians in Israel and caused significant damage to residential areas. Iran claimed its missiles overwhelmed Israeli defences, though Israel reported intercepting many projectiles with US assistance.

On June 18, the conflict continued to intensify, entering its sixth day with significant military and diplomatic developments. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) conducted a large-scale attack wave targeting 12 sites in Tehran, including a centrifuge production facility and multiple weapons manufacturing sites critical to Iran's nuclear and missile programs. Over 50 Israeli Air Force fighter jets were involved, striking key infrastructure to further degrade Iran's uranium enrichment and missile production capabilities. 

Iran launched approximately 10 ballistic missiles toward Israel in the early hours of June 18, with explosions reported over Tel Aviv. Most missiles were intercepted by Israeli and US air defences, but some caused damage to residential areas.

By Khagan Isayev