Ilham Aliyev

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed senior advisor Oktay Saral following his criticism of Azerbaijan's hijab ban in schools, aiming to repair diplomatic ties with Baku.

Tensions between Azerbaijan and Turkey escalated after Baku accused Ankara of interference over a school hijab ban and its diplomatic ties with Israel.

Israeli defense firm EMTAN inaugurated a new M4 rifle manufacturing plant in Azerbaijan alongside President Ilham Aliyev, highlighting a global industry trend toward localized production and Western defense technology transfer.