ATLANTA — According to an exclusive CNN investigation, Israel secretly deployed special military and intelligence units in Azerbaijan during its war against Iran, positioning them at several locations along Iran’s northern border. The closest reported site was approximately 100 kilometers from the Iranian city of Tabriz.
The deployed forces reportedly included special operations units, helicopter combat teams, and Mossad personnel. CNN reported that they conducted intelligence-gathering missions, drone operations, and the installation of surveillance equipment inside northern Iran.
One of the key operations allegedly carried out from Azerbaijani territory was the March 4 assassination of Rahman Moghaddam, the head of a special intelligence operations unit within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
According to the report, Israel had already begun preliminary activities along the Azerbaijan-Iran border in mid-January, before the outbreak of hostilities. Although U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly halted Israel’s planned initial strikes, Israel continued to act independently by deploying intelligence equipment in the area.
At the end of January, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar visited Baku and held meetings with Azerbaijani officials.
CNN further reported that Israel had established additional covert military infrastructure in other countries, including two logistical support centers in Iraq, an Iron Dome air-defense installation in the United Arab Emirates, and a long-range flight support point in Somaliland. Together, these facilities reportedly provided Israel with military access around Iran’s southern, western, and northern borders.
Azerbaijan denied the allegations. The Azerbaijani Embassy stated that it “categorically rejects” claims that Azerbaijani territory had been used against third countries.
The CNN report also noted the close strategic relationship between Israel and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is a major supplier of oil to Israel, while Israel provides Azerbaijan with advanced weaponry, including systems used during the 2016 and 2020 wars against Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh.
