"The opening of an Azerbaijan Embassy in Israel is on the table, and the issue has been discussed for quite a while," Dr. Farid Shafiev, chairman of the Azeri Foreign Ministry's Center of Analysis of International Relations, told a local Azeri media outlet Thursday. "I myself support the establishment of an embassy in Israel," he said.
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According to Shafiev, "The leadership in Azerbaijan is getting closer to opening the embassy, but the process is being carried out step by step."
As for tensions with Iran, Shafiev said, "It's not right to connect the establishment of Azerbaijan's embassy in Israel to Iran." He explained: "We have our own priorities and more important considerations on the issue than Iran. Our ties with Israel are more important."
Shafiev, a veteran diplomat who previously served as the country's envoy to Canada and the Czech Republic, said, "Therefore, Azerbaijan will open an embassy in the future. As I said, it's not dependent on Iran but the priorities of Azerbaijan itself."
Earlier this week, Israel Hayom reported Baku had launched a widespread operation against pro-Iranian elements in the country.
Thus far, the operation has included the arrests of activists who have been trying to promote the approach of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Azerbaijan. On Tuesday, reports said that Azeri President Ilham Aliyev has also decided to shutter the Khamenei mission in Azerbaijan, which is headed by Ali Akbar Ojagnejad.
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