“GEGHARD”
SCIENTIFIC ANALYTICAL
FOUNDATION
2026
2026
2026-03-11
The threatening statements made by the President of Azerbaijan toward Iran during the March 5 meeting of the Security Council received mixed reactions in allied Turkey. The statements followed the drone strikes on the territory of Nakhijevan earlier that day, which Aliyev described as “terrorism,” adding that the country’s armed forces must be ready for any operation.
In recent days, Aliyev’s tough remarks have drawn intense criticism in the Turkish information space. Expressions such as “Azerbaijan is Israel’s puppet,” “Azerbaijan is not our brother—they are Zionists,” and “We saved you in Karabakh” have been widely circulating in the Turkish media in recent days.
Journalist Şamil Tayyar, who is considered close to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reminded Ilham Aliyev of December 25, 2024, when a passenger aircraft belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) flying from Baku to Grozny was hit by Russian air defense missile. Thirty-eight passengers were killed. Moreover, Vladimir Putin acknowledged that the aircraft had been shot down by Russian air defense.
“No one called them ‘dishonorable.’ No threats such as ‘We will cut off your heads’ were voiced. Now, when Iran says ‘we did not fire the missile,’ and the incident has not yet been clarified, what is the reason for this anger? Is the only reason Israel?” he wrote on his microblog on X.
In an interview with Tele2 Haber, Turkish army general Haldun Solmaztürk stated that it is incorrect to say that decisions in Azerbaijan are made at the state level, because the country is ruled by a dynasty. According to him, Azerbaijan has a system of one-man rule, which is aligned with Israel and the United States.
“Whatever the United States and Israel tell him will be done that way. In other words, Azerbaijan, as a state, does not make any decisions. The decisions are made in coordination with the United States and Israel,” he stated.
Turkish historian and academician Ahmed Şimşirgil wrote that Ilham Aliyev has become a servant of Israel, and that it is impossible to understand him. “Is his loyalty to Zionist Israel so strong? I don’t even want to say more. Considering his stance and statements on Gaza, we feel deep regret for him. It is clear that he has become a servant. I’m not even sure he would bring any benefit if we went to war with Israel,” he noted.
Social media users have been sharing photos of Ilham Aliyev with the caption: “He loves Benjamin Netanyahu even more than the Zionists.”
One of the Turkish users wrote on X: “Azerbaijan’s leader, Ilham Aliyev, is Israel’s play card. The people of Azerbaijan must take to the streets to demand Aliyev’s resignation. Aliyev wants to use Azerbaijani Turks to fight against Iran for the interests of Israel and America. Don’t get caught up in this game.”
According to Mücahit Birinci, a former member of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party and a lawyer, the Turks have tolerated Ilham Aliyev’s sympathy toward Israel throughout the events in Gaza. “He is wagging finger at everyone and trying to start a world war over a fabricated drone incident. It seems this is the last straw…,” he wrote.
Pro-government, well-known Turkish journalist İbrahim Karagül also expressed his view that Israel is exerting enormous pressure and orchestrating a conspiracy to drag Azerbaijan into a war with Iran.
Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, a member of Turkey’s parliament from the pro-Kurdish party Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party, addressed President Ilham Aliyev, saying that Aliyev is looking for an opportunity to join Israel in this war. “First, he should put an end to his and his family’s corruption and authoritarian rule,” he stated.
Negative comments aimed at Azerbaijan, and especially at Ilham Aliyev, in the Turkish media have prompted intervention from the Turkish Presidential Administration. The Disinformation Combat Center under the Directorate of Communications released a statement saying:
“In light of recent developments in our region, it has been observed that certain platforms—particularly social media—are spreading overly critical, misleading, and provocative posts targeting Turkish-Azerbaijani relations and Azerbaijan itself.” The statement reminded that bilateral relations are led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, conducted under the motto “One nation, two states.” The Center urged the public to be more cautious when making statements or spreading misinformation, as such actions could harm the “brotherhood” between the two countries.
According to posts on social media, some users in Turkey have been detained and interrogated for criticizing Ilham Aliyev.
The Azerbaijani propaganda and media responded to accusations from Ankara.
Musa Guliyev, a member of the board of the “New Azerbaijan” party, an MP, and chair of the Labor and Social Policy Committee of the Milli Majlis, accused Berat Albayrak, the son-in-law of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of organizing a propaganda campaign against Azerbaijan.
“Unfortunately, there have always been and still exist forces in our societies that conceal their objectives under various names and attempt to carry out their malicious intentions… It is a fact that there are groups in Azerbaijan that have acted against Turkey. However, their malicious activities have been effectively prevented,” he stated.
According to him, various groups in Turkey today continue their anti-Azerbaijani activities consistently and openly. The Azerbaijani MP believes that the situation in the Turkish media causes concern. As an example, he cites publications by one of Turkey’s leading media holdings, Turkuvaz. He emphasizes that this media group regularly conducts defamatory campaigns against Azerbaijan, deliberately discredits the country, and makes insulting remarks directed at its leadership.
Berat Albayrak, the head of the Turkuvaz group, is a member of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s family (he is the husband of Erdogan’s eldest daughter). This man was previously removed from all positions by the Turkish president due to serious violations. However, even when he served as Minister of Energy, he was at the forefront of anti-Azerbaijani groups. Today, he continues to use his powerful influence on Turkish public opinion for the same purposes. It is not surprising that the Turkuvaz group is now at the forefront of the campaign against Azerbaijan conducted by various media outlets in Turkey,” the Azerbaijani parliamentarian noted.
It should be noted that Musa Guliyev’s interview with APA was removed from the news outlet’s website, though it has been preserved on opposition sources.
This information battle is just a small episode in the broader clash of Turkey-Azerbaijan interests. It can be emphasized that, despite the “brotherly” affection, statements by Turkish journalists and public figures indicate growing dissatisfaction in Ankara with Azerbaijan’s policies.
Although the Azerbaijani propaganda tries to accuse the forces operating within Turkey—thereby defending Aliyev’s stance—these developments nevertheless indicate that Azerbaijan’s foreign policy not only creates tensions in the region but also jeopardizes its relations with its key ally, Turkey.