U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 21 that the United States is not interested in meeting with Iran unless Tehran is prepared for substantive talks.

“Until they are ready for a meeting that would be meaningful, we’re not interested,” Trump told reporters, according to RIA Novosti.

The United States does not intend to end its confrontation with Iran in the near future and is prepared to strike an alleged new Iranian nuclear facility if necessary, U.S. President Donald Trump has said.

Trump made the remarks during an address broadcast on the White House’s YouTube channel.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that peace, security and stability in the South Caucasus are essential.

According to the Azerbaijani APA news agency, Merz made the remarks during a joint press conference in Berlin with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Merz said Germany and the European Union remain fully committed to promoting stability in the geopolitically important region.

He also congratulated Aliyev on the initialling of the peace agreement with Armenia.

“The agreement has been initialled by Azerbaijan and Armenia. This historic agreement offers a new opportunity to finally overcome the long-standing conflict,” the German chancellor said.

On August 8, 2025, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a declaration on the normalisation of relations between Yerevan and Baku in Washington with the mediation of U.S. President Donald Trump.

At the same time, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov initialled the 17-article peace agreement on the normalisation of relations and the establishment of interstate relations between the two countries.

Germany intends to continue diversifying its energy supplies by expanding cooperation with Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani APA news agency reported.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Berlin with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that, amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, cooperation on oil and natural gas supplies via the Southern Gas Corridor has taken on particular importance.

“We discussed this issue in detail. We want to continue diversifying our energy supplies through deliveries from Azerbaijan,” Merz said.

The chancellor also welcomed the dynamic development of bilateral relations between the two countries.

According to Merz, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid the first-ever state visit to Azerbaijan in the spring of 2025, while parliamentary contacts between the two countries have intensified this year.

Merz said the Joint Declaration on the Strategic Agenda for Bilateral Partnership signed between Germany and Azerbaijan provides an important foundation for further deepening bilateral ties.

He also announced that the two sides had agreed to establish a German-Azerbaijani Economic Council.

“This decision sends an important signal to companies in both countries and demonstrates that we are serious about expanding relations between Germany and Azerbaijan,” the German chancellor said.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said the Azerbaijani authorities first learned about reports of a possible secret meeting between German and Russian representatives in Baku from an article published by The Times, according to the Azerbaijani APA news agency.

Speaking at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Aliyev said the Azerbaijani authorities launched an inquiry following the publication.

According to Aliyev, before departing for Berlin, he requested information from Azerbaijan’s State Border Service, which confirmed that the individuals named in the report had been in Azerbaijan during the same period.

Aliyev said that on July 12, Ronald Pofalla, former head of the Federal Chancellery under former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and former German politician Matthias Platzeck arrived in Baku from Berlin and departed on July 14.

On the same day, former Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov and Valery Fadeyev, chairman of the Russian Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights, arrived in Baku from Moscow. One of them left Baku on July 13, while the other departed on July 14, Aliyev said.

The Azerbaijani president added that neither Germany nor Russia had informed Baku about the visits.

“I cannot say with certainty that such a meeting took place because we did not witness it. However, the available information provides grounds to assume that such a secret meeting took place in Baku. If it contributes to ending the Russia–Ukraine war, we would, of course, welcome it,” Aliyev said.

He also stressed that the Russia–Ukraine war should end immediately and that peace should be ensured in the region.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said cooperation between Azerbaijan and Germany will continue to expand across a number of strategic areas, particularly energy, transport, connectivity and investment.

According to the Azerbaijani APA news agency, Aliyev made the remarks during a joint press conference in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Aliyev said the documents signed by the two sides would elevate bilateral relations to a new level. He added that Azerbaijan has already launched a strategic dialogue with Germany and that the bilateral agenda covers a broad range of areas of cooperation.

The Azerbaijani president said Azerbaijan began supplying natural gas to Germany this year and noted that the volumes could be increased. He also expressed the view that European banks should reconsider their decisions regarding the financing of oil and gas projects.

Aliyev further said Azerbaijan intends to export not only oil and natural gas to Europe in the future, but also green energy. According to him, energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Germany will be broad in scope, while German companies will also participate in projects aimed at developing connectivity and transport infrastructure.

He said several working groups would be established in these areas, as envisaged by the agreements signed between the two countries.

Aliyev also said that more than 200 German-capital companies are currently operating in Azerbaijan and expressed hope that their number would increase following the talks. He added that opportunities for mutual investment had also been discussed and proposals had been presented to expand the activities of German companies in Azerbaijan.

Aliyev said cooperation between Azerbaijan and Germany would contribute not only to the development of bilateral relations but also to strengthening peace and cooperation in the region.

He added that he had invited German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to visit Azerbaijan at a time convenient for him.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said that supplies of oil and petroleum products from Azerbaijan to Armenia represent an important contribution to Armenia’s energy security.

According to the Azerbaijani APA news agency, Aliyev made the remarks during a joint press conference in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Aliyev also said that transit shipments of goods from other countries to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory have expanded significantly.

“We are living through a historic period. Azerbaijan offered peace to Armenia and received a positive response. We highly appreciate the role of the German government in this process,” Aliyev said.

Armenia began importing petroleum products from Azerbaijan in December 2025.

According to Azerbaijani figures, Armenia has since imported more than 14,000 tonnes of diesel fuel and around 5,000 tonnes of AI-92 and AI-95 petrol from Azerbaijan.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has sent a congratulatory message to Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on the occasion of Belgium’s National Day.

The message, released by the Armenian Prime Minister’s Office, reads:

“I warmly congratulate you and the friendly people of Belgium on the occasion of your National Day.

I am pleased to note that relations between Armenia and Belgium have continued to develop in recent years, expanding into new strategic areas of partnership.

I warmly recall our meeting in Yerevan this May. I am confident that, through our joint efforts, we will give fresh impetus to expanding multifaceted cooperation between our countries and further strengthening bilateral trade and economic ties.

I highly appreciate Belgium’s continued support for the deepening of the Armenia-European Union partnership, as well as the effective cooperation established between our countries in international forums.

I wish you good health and every success, and the friendly people of Belgium peace and prosperity.”

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has congratulated Andy Burnham on his appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Pashinyan shared the congratulatory message in a post on X.

“Warm congratulations to Andy Burnham on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

I look forward to working closely with you to deepen the Armenia–UK Strategic Partnership and strengthen the friendship between our peoples.”

Former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer officially resigned on July 20. Andy Burnham, who recently assumed the leadership of the governing Labour Party, was appointed as the country’s new prime minister.

Burnham is the United Kingdom’s seventh prime minister in the past decade.

Starmer announced his resignation on June 22 following the Labour Party’s defeat in local and regional elections held in May.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has congratulated Ed Miliband on his appointment as the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary.

Mirzoyan conveyed his congratulations in a post on X.

“Congratulations to Ed Miliband on your appointment as Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom.

Looking forward to working with you to advance the Armenia–UK Strategic Partnership and deepen cooperation across our shared priorities.”

Earlier, it was reported that newly appointed British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the composition of his government after taking office on June 20.

John Healey, who resigned as defence secretary in June in protest over what he described as the underfunding of the armed forces and the Royal Navy, was appointed chancellor.

Ed Miliband, who served as leader of the Labour Party from 2010 to 2015, was appointed foreign secretary.

Shabana Mahmood will remain home secretary, a position she has held since 2025.

Former Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper was appointed health secretary, while former Health Secretary Wes Streeting became defence secretary.

On June 20, King Charles III formally accepted Keir Starmer’s resignation, appointed Burnham as prime minister and asked him to form a government. The 56-year-old former Mayor of Greater Manchester succeeded Starmer as leader of the governing Labour Party on June 17.

The first foreign leaders Burnham spoke with by telephone after taking office were U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Zelenskyy said the two leaders agreed to meet soon to discuss further cooperation, including within the framework of the anti-ballistic coalition.

Following her conversation with Burnham, von der Leyen said both sides were committed to bringing the European Union and the United Kingdom closer together, adding that their “excellent cooperation” in support of Ukraine would continue.

Trump also said after his call with the newly appointed prime minister that he planned to meet Burnham in the near future.