Today, REAL Television aired an extensive discussion on the military and political consequences of the Iran–Israel and United States confrontation, which has been ongoing for five days. It was emphasized that active combat operations are continuing around Iran, that Tehran has launched missile strikes against Gulf countries, and that a rocket landing on Turkish territory has pushed regional tensions into a new phase. The program focused on the possibility of further expansion of the war, risks for the South Caucasus, and Azerbaijan’s balanced position. Political analyst Ahmad Shahidov provided an in-depth assessment of the developments.
Ahmad Shahidov stated that the anti-Iran coalition is entering a phase of expansion and that Gulf countries may join operations against Tehran. According to him, if this process continues, the war could turn into a broader regional confrontation, affecting energy markets, international transportation routes, and the overall security architecture.
He also noted that the rocket fired toward Turkish territory could have serious geopolitical consequences. If Ankara interprets the incident as a direct threat, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization factor could come into play, increasing the likelihood that some member states would become involved in the war. This, he stressed, could significantly widen the scale of the confrontation.
Ahmad Shahidov warned that a prolonged and geographically expanding war poses a serious humanitarian disaster risk for the South Caucasus. He underlined that the possibility of hundreds of thousands of people moving from Iran toward Azerbaijan’s borders cannot be ruled out, and such a scenario would create major social, economic, and security challenges for the region.
In conclusion, Ahmad Shahidov addressed Azerbaijani society, social media users, media representatives, and political experts, stressing that this is not Azerbaijan’s war and that the country must remain neutral. He emphasized that emotional anti-Iran rhetoric contradicts national interests and recalled that official Baku has repeatedly declared that it has never allowed and will never allow its territory to be used for military operations against Iran. He also cautioned that false information, including artificial intelligence-generated fake photos and videos circulating online, could turn Azerbaijan into a target.
