Azerbaijan's foreign policy is completely free from foreign domination and is pragmatic. The country's position is formed based on these principles.

All decisions are made by the President of Azerbaijan, taking into account the national interests of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan pursues a completely independent policy and no country can influence Azerbaijan's decisions.

Recently, in an interview with the Italian newspaper “La Repubblica”, President Ilham Aliyev touched upon the new realities of the post-war period, as well as the priorities of Azerbaijan's foreign policy, and gave important messages. In an interview, the President reiterated that if someone tried to use an artificial pretext and accused Azerbaijan of having relations with another country, these attempts were in vain. Stating that this is not the right way and will lead to a deadlock, the President noted that Azerbaijan wants its borders to be treated with respect.

Commenting on Iran, President Ilham Aliyev stressed that we demand respect for our borders: “The road between some Armenian cities passes through the territory of Azerbaijan. We began to see that this road was used for the illegal transportation of goods to Karabakh and our territory. This is unacceptable. We demand that our borders be respected. We do not illegally cross the borders of any other country. So our message was very simple - stop it. "

The head of state stated that Azerbaijan had sent a friendly message on this issue: “Unfortunately, Azerbaijan's warning was not adequately responded to. After that, our country prepared a diplomatic note, the ambassador was invited and we announced it to the public to stop it. But it got worse, the number of trucks going from Iran to Karabakh increased. We considered this step disrespectful. Then we took other measures that were considered completely legal, and this caused great confusion and unnecessary actions in the neighboring country. Inappropriate statements, threats were made, military exercises were held near our border. It was a mystery that for the first time, military exercises were not a planned event. Then it was said that it was done to show us something. No one can put his will on us. We want to have friendly relations with all countries and, above all, with our neighbors. Azerbaijan attaches special importance to relations with neighboring countries. Azerbaijan views relations with neighboring countries as one of the main priorities of its foreign policy. It is with this approach that relations with the previous Iranian government have been raised to a higher level. More than a dozen meetings of the country's leaders have been held in recent years. As a result of bilateral relations, many agreements have been signed in the fields of energy, transport, security and cultural development. Over the years, relations have become a symbol of friendship and good neighborliness”.

Looking at today's relations, President Ilham Aliyev said that we were not in a position to blame the Iranian government: "Azerbaijan expressed its message in the following words:" Please pay attention to the illegal business activities carried out by Iranian businessmen in Karabakh. We were not in a position to blame the Iranian government, we know that some private companies are doing it. Azerbaijan denies all allegations against Azerbaijan in connection with the return of Israel to the liberated lands. This is just an excuse for the domestic audience to discredit Azerbaijan”.

In an interview, the President also commented on the activities of Russian peacekeepers. The head of state noted that the work of Russian peacekeepers over the past year is generally satisfactory, except for a few minor incidents. “Certain issues remain to be resolved. In particular, there is the issue of foreigners who must obtain permission from Azerbaijan to visit our territories, which are currently under the responsibility of Russian peacekeepers. Although the number of “tourists” visiting Karabakh has sharply decreased, some foreigners are still illegally entering our territory, where Russian peacekeepers are. This issue has been brought to the attention of the Russian authorities, the Ministry of Defense, to put an end to it. These and some other issues need to be addressed”.

In response to the journalist's question "Are you ready to recognize the Taliban government?", President Ilham Aliyev said that first of all, this decision should be made by Afghanistan's neighbors. “Our presence in Afghanistan is limited to participating in peacekeeping operations there. By the way, the Azerbaijani military was among the last to leave Kabul airport. Our servicemen left the airport the day before the explosion there. That is, we carried out our mission with dignity and maximum efficiency until the last day."

Depending on the political situation, some forces in the West from time to time try to use various slanders to discredit Azerbaijan and weaken its position. The 44-day war was a surprise to many. These forces wanted to see Azerbaijan as a weak, dependent, occupied country that has always sought help in resolving the conflict. President Ilham Aliyev noted that those circles in the west have become more active. The head of state noted that we knew that a new smear campaign was planned against Azerbaijan. But all the ugly stories have no meaning for the people of Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev has once again declared to the world community that he will defend Azerbaijan, its sovereignty, independence and choice for the rest of my life. The President's interview was an effective response to those who want to damage the reputation of our state and threaten our country. Thus, during the interview, the President once again openly stated that Azerbaijan pursues an independent foreign policy and that it is useless and unsuccessful to speak dictation with our country. With the 44-day war, Azerbaijan has created a new reality in the region, and everyone must come to terms with the existing reality.