Tehran: Israel "using" Azerbaijan for political purposes

Young Journalists’ Club website, Iran
Jan 31 2013

Israel “using” Azerbaijan for political purposes – Iranian agency

The Young Journalists’ Club [YJC] website run by the Iranian state
broadcaster IRIB has accused Israel of “using Azerbaijan” for its
political purposes, a YJC report posted on 31 January said.

“Israel provided Azerbaijan with defence missiles and drones worth
billions of dollars in 2012,” the report said, adding that “the
Zionist regime is using Azerbaijan in order to be able to implement
its political programs in the Middle East. Extensive sales of weapons
to the Azerbaijani Republic have the only purpose of using this
country as a tool to implement its evil plans. Getting closer to Iran
and the illusion of threatening with a military attack on nuclear
facilities is the only goal of the Zionists’ extensive presence in
Azerbaijan”.

The website said Azerbaijan and Israel had held “joint military
drills” in Azerbaijan. “In its illusions, the Zionist regime is
looking for a military base in border areas close to Iran in order to
attack Iran’s nuclear facilities if necessary,” the website said,
explaining the “hidden” reasons behind the drills.

The YJC also referred to “investments of Israeli companies in
Azerbaijan” and the opening of “a Jewish school” in the republic.

In response to Iranian media reports that Israel had opened a base of
unmanned planes in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Spokesman
Elman Abdullayev said previously: “Azerbaijan will never allow using
its territory against a third state, especially against neighbours. We
value good relations with our neighbours in the region, except for
Armenia, which occupied 20 per cent of our lands”.

[Translated from Persian]