President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan on Friday again threatened military action against Armenia and lashed out at Western nations, calling them “Islamophobes,” during a speech on what he called “Victory Day”—the day the marking the end of the 2020 Artsakh War, during which Azerbaijani forces killed thousands of Armenian soldiers and civilians.
“Armenia must abandon its policy of militarization. It must come to an end,” Aliyev said speaking at a ceremony in Baku where a so-called “Victory Park” was inaugurated.
“I have said this repeatedly, and they know that they should pay attention to my words. It is not too late. They should abandon it. They will never have the power to compete with us,” Aliyev added.
“We do not want war. We have achieved our goals: we ensured our territorial integrity and state sovereignty. Our territorial integrity is upheld along all borders, and former displaced persons and refugees are returning to their ancestral lands. Now, we are focused on rebuilding. This is our main priority,” the Azerbaijani leader said.
He went on to accuse the West of inciting war in the region by arming Armenia. Aliyev’s past threats against France, which has signed a military cooperation agreement with Armenia, have created a diplomatic impasse between the two countries.
“Today, anti-Azerbaijan forces, including some Islamophobes and Azerbaijanophobes in Western capitals, are inciting Armenia to a new war,” Aliyev said in his address.
“I believe that the results of the Second Karabakh War and the anti-terror operation are more than enough for Armenia to take the right steps,” Aliyev threatened.
The president emphasized an issue that should not be overlooked, stating: “Today, anti-Azerbaijan forces, including some Islamophobes and Azerbaijanophobes in Western capitals, are inciting Armenia to a new war.”
After securing control over key highlands, Aliyev went on to say that “the fate of the separatist group, along with those backing them in Karabakh and Armenia, was clear.”
“Despite being given a choice, they failed to make the right decision. The anti-terror operation carried out in September 2023, which lasted only a few hours, was yet another lesson for them,” Aliyev said referring to the September 2023 attack on Artsakh, which forced the entire native Armenian population to forcibly flee their homeland.
“With this, the root of separatism was eradicated, and the book was closed. Now, there is no trace or sign of the separatists in the lands of Karabakh,” Aliyev boasted. “We avenged our martyrs on the battlefield and restored our territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
The Azerbaijani leader also claimed that some of Yerevan’s Western allies were attempting to portray Armenia as a “peaceful dove,” “as if there had been no 30-year occupation, destruction, brutality, and genocide.”
He claimed that Armenia is attempting to “make the international community forget all this. But we will never forget it,” Aliyev stressed, adding that the Azerbaijani people should also never forget this history to preserve it for future generations.
Aliyev also said that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces are ready to respond to any provocation.
“If anyone decides to test our strength again, they will face a crushing defeat once more. The 44-day Patriotic War and the counter-terrorism operation were not only Armenia’s defeat but also the defeat of its supporters. This is what fuels the smear campaign against Azerbaijan in the West,” Aliyev emphasized.
