Azerbaijan and Iran concluded the joint military tactical exercise “Araz-24” along the border river Araz on November 28.
The special forces of the Azerbaijani Army’s Land Forces and Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Ground Forces participated in the four-day drill near the Aslanduz settlement in Iran’s northwestern Ardabil Province, according to the website of Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry.
“Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were deployed throughout the region to define the locations, movement patterns, and training of illegal armed groups during the main phase of the exercise,” the report stated.
Simultaneously, operations focused on radio-electronic warfare and reconnaissance. The identified positions of the imaginary enemy were neutralized through precise artillery fire and the use of UAVs.
“The tasks on neutralizing enemy manpower were executed with high precision by the servicemen. Overall, the conduct of the exercise and the professionalism demonstrated by the military personnel were highly commended,” the ministry added.
According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, the drill’s objectives included “combating organized illegal groups, securing the joint border, and boosting military capabilities and defensive cooperation at tactical and operational levels.”
Before the drill, a command-staff meeting was held on November 24 with senior members of delegations from both countries. During this meeting, the sequence of the stages and episodes of the exercise was determined, and safety regulations were communicated.
On November 19, a meeting of the Joint Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran took place in Tehran. Discussions on the development of military cooperation between the two countries, as well as new directions and areas of activity, were held. The meeting concluded with the signing of a protocol outlining agreed areas of cooperation.
In early November, Azerbaijani and Iranian naval forces conducted the AZIREX-2024 joint search-and-rescue exercise in Iran’s Caspian Sea sector. Two ships and over 100 personnel from the Azerbaijani Navy arrived at Iran’s Anzali port to participate in the drill. This exercise was part of a protocol established by the Joint Commission on military and military-technical cooperation, signed by both countries in September 2023.
Military cooperation between Tehran and Baku is expanding under the framework set by the Joint Military Commission. In June, Azerbaijani forces in the country’s Nakhchivan exclave and the Iranian Armed Forces conducted simultaneous tactical exercises at their shared border, involving combat hardware, aircraft, and UAVs.
Despite previously strained relations due to Iran’s objections to Azerbaijan’s strengthening military ties with Israel, the Zangazur Corridor, and an armed attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran, the two Caspian nations have worked to rebuild their ties over the past year.
Azerbaijan plans to increase its defense and national security spending next year, driven by the need to enhance its military capabilities amid the extensive military buildup in neighboring Armenia. According to Azerbaijani Finance Minister Samir Sarifov, Azerbaijan’s defense and national security spending will account for 20% of the total 2025 budget and amount to $4.9 billion (8.4 billion manats).
Source » caspiannews