Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Washington thwarted smear campaigns against Azerbaijan – OPINION

President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to the United States carries strategic significance—not only for the development of bilateral relations, but also for the broader reconfiguration of the regional geopolitical landscape, Vasif Gafarov, a member of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis (Parliament), told Report.

He noted that the visit marks the collapse of long-standing political pressure, sanctions threats, and smear campaigns carried out by centers such as the Biden–Blinken administration, Emmanuel Macron, the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament:

“The meetings in Washington demonstrated that even the United States now recognizes it cannot address regional energy security, transport-communication integration, or stability without Azerbaijan. This elevates the partnership model to a level of equal cooperation.”

Gafarov emphasized that one of the most important outcomes of the visit is Azerbaijan’s recognition as the key power shaping the balance in the South Caucasus:

“As the pressure mechanisms of Western circles—often seen as Armenia’s patrons—continue to fail, the trend of regional processes centering around Baku is gaining strength. This also lays the groundwork for the more realistic and accelerated implementation of strategic projects such as the Zangazur Corridor.”