Azerbaijan denies granting Israel access to air bases on Iran border
The prestigious magazine Foreign Policy reports that Israel’s air force has use of Azeri airbases, which would avoid the mid-air refuelling problems involved in an attack from Israel. The US has not been keen to openly supply Israel with tanker aircraft (although they have trained together in Nevada) , but an Azeri airbase would do just as well and would be less obvious aid… the US air force has a big presence in Azerbaijan, and the Israeli arrangement has been hinted at since the Bush era (see Scott Ritter 2005). If officials are suddenly leaking confirmation of this story to Foreign Affairs, forcing Azerbaijan to cancel the arrangement, this could indicate that the White House is pulling the rug out from under Israel’s main means of attack.
Excerpts from Haaretz story:
Azerbaijan denies granting Israel access to air bases on Iran border – Haaretz
A Foreign Policy magazine report on Wednesday claimed Israel was given access to Azerbaijani air bases in the event of an Iran strike.By Haaretz
Azerbaijan denied claims in a U.S. magazine report on Thursday that it granted Israel access to air bases on the border it shares with Iran, in the event of a future attack on Iran.
According to Wednesdays report Foreign Policy magazine, senior U.S. diplomats and military intelligence officials claim that the Israel Air Force would be given access to land in Azerbaijan in the event of an Iran strike.
“The Israelis have bought an airfield,” a senior U.S. administration official told Foreign Policy magazines Mark Perry, “and the airfield is called Azerbaijan.”
….
Ali Hasanov, a presidential official, also told reporters in Baku, “We have stated on numerous occasions and we reiterate that there will be no actions against Iran… from the territory of Azerbaijan,” according to the AFP report.
via Azerbaijan denies granting Israel access to air bases on Iran border – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News.
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