Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev faces fresh scrutiny as regional tensions rise and Azerbaijan warns after cross-border incidents; in power since 2003. Bio: born 1961, son of Heydar Aliyev, leads New Azerbaijan Party since 2005.
On March 5, 2026, Azerbaijan accused Iran of launching drone attacks on its Nakhchivan exclave, damaging an airport and a school, and injuring two civilians. Azerbaijan condemned the strikes as violations of international law and prepared retaliatory measures. Iran denied targeting Azerbaijan. The incident escalates regional tensions amid ongoing conflicts involving Israel, the US, and Iran.
Amid ongoing US-led strikes on Iran, President Trump has publicly supported Iranian Kurdish groups in Iraq to attack Iran. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes in northern Iraq, while US forces target Iranian ships and missile facilities. The conflict has expanded regionally, with multiple countries involved.
The United States and Ukraine are expanding drone defense capacity as demand for interceptor systems rises amid intensified drone attacks. Ukrainian and allied manufacturers say production bottlenecks and supply-chain stress are hindering scaling, while governments push for greater stockpiles and overseas manufacturing to sustain operations.
The veteran Azerbaijani opposition leader, Karimli, has been detained since November in a high-security facility. He has framed his arrest as part of a broader crackdown on dissent, urging Western partners to press the government amid rights concerns. Trials have been delayed, and rights groups report hundreds detained as political prisoners.
Armenia has been expanding its foreign relationships toward the West while maintaining ties with Russia, as a US-mediated TRIPP corridor develops and parliamentary votes set a course for the country’s strategic pivot in the South Caucasus.