Azerbaijan’s Aliyev says external and ideological threats pose country’s main risks, urges others to study Karabakh precedent

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Tuesday that his country faces no significant internal risks and warned that both physical and ideological threats come from outside its borders, while presenting Azerbaijan’s experience in the Karabakh wars as a model other warring states could study.

Speaking at the opening of the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku, Aliyev said Azerbaijani society remained united and argued that protecting the country’s identity, statehood, independence and way of life required vigilance against external influence.

“We do not have any internal risks in Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said. “All the potential risks are coming from beyond our boundaries. And ideological risks are as dangerous as physical risks.”

Aliyev also defended Azerbaijan’s conduct in its conflict with Armenia, saying Baku had fought a “just” war, stopped after its opponent capitulated and then offered peace rather than continuing military operations.

“I think this experience should be examined by those who are involved in wars now,” he said, arguing that Azerbaijan’s precedent could help other countries determine how conflicts can be brought to an end.

Azerbaijan regained full control of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023 after decades of conflict. More than 100,000 ethnic Armenians fled the region for Armenia following Baku’s offensive. Armenia and Azerbaijan initialled a U.S.-brokered peace agreement in August 2025, although a final treaty has still not been formally signed.

Aliyev also accused foreign governments and institutions of applying double standards to Azerbaijan and rejected what he described as attempts to dictate how an independent country should govern itself.

“Before doing that, you should look in the mirror,” he said. “An independent country should not be lectured about how to live, what to do, or what not to do.”