Report: Azerbaijan Military Investigates Helping Israel Attack Iran

Will Azeri Air Bases Be Brought Into Play?

Reports coming out of the Israeli media today say that Azerbaijan’s military, publicly on good terms with Israel, has been quietly considering the ways in which they might get involved in an Israeli attack on neighboring Iran.

Azerbaijan’s close military relationship with Israel has been a source of tensions with Iran, but they have insisted time and again that they won’t allow Azeri soil to be used as a launching pad for attacks on any of its neighbors.

At the same time, the military is readying its air bases for the possibility of hosting Israeli bombers, or at least allowing them to refuel, which would make Israel’s long range attack on Iran’s civilian nuclear program somewhat more convenient.

Such a decision could have potentially enormous ramifications for tiny Azerbaijan, however, as long after any Israeli-Iran war is over they would still have to deal with the consequences of siding against a large neighbor and important partner.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.