Azerbaijan rejects CNN report on Israeli forces on its soil

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, according to Anadolu Agency. 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 by Mehr News Agency, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's statement firmly denied these claims and demanded a retraction from CNN.