Azerbaijan rejects CNN report alleging territory used for operations against Iran

Azerbaijan on Friday rejected a CNN report alleging that its territory was used for military and intelligence operations against Iran and that Israeli forces were deployed in the country during the recent conflict.

In a statement, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry described the allegations as "entirely baseless" and called on CNN to retract the report.

The ministry said it had repeatedly denied similar claims and had communicated its position to CNN before publication.

It criticized the report for relying on anonymous sources without presenting credible evidence and said it ignored Azerbaijan's official response, thereby violating the principles of objectivity and professional journalism.

“As has been stated on numerous occasions, allegations that Azerbaijan’s territory has been used by any third country for military operations, intelligence activities, or other hostile purposes against another state are completely unfounded,” the ministry said.

“Azerbaijan has never allowed, and will never allow, its territory to be used for such purposes,” it added.

The ministry reiterated that Azerbaijan remains committed to promoting peace, regional stability, and good-neighborly relations, describing the allegations as another attempt to spread disinformation.

Earlier, CNN published a report claiming that Israel secretly deployed elite military and intelligence units to Azerbaijan during the conflict with Iran as part of a network of covert sites across the Middle East used to facilitate operations against Tehran.

Citing four sources familiar with the matter, the broadcaster said Israel operated from several locations in southern Azerbaijan near Iran's northern border.

According to the report, special commando units were also deployed to the area, where they conducted intelligence-gathering missions and drone operations, providing Israel with what it described as a valuable vantage point into northern Iran during the conflict.

Regional tensions escalated after the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, triggering a cycle of retaliatory attacks that widened instability across the region.

Iran, in retaliation, subsequently launched strikes against Israel and targeted countries hosting US military bases, while also disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies.

A ceasefire later took effect, though diplomatic efforts to secure a broader agreement have continued.