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Editorially curated conflicts and rivalries Caucasus is party to. Open a panel to see the specific friction points inside it.
The South Caucasus -- Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia -- at the intersection of Russian, Turkish, Iranian and Euro-Atlantic interests. The region carries several unresolved disputes: the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict centred on Nagorno-Karabakh, the question of Armenia's alignment between the Russian-led blocs and the European Union, the status of Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, transit corridors across the region, and competition among external powers over influence, energy routes and security ties. It has seen repeated wars, including the Nagorno-Karabakh wars and the 2008 Russia-Georgia war.
Regional connectivity is expanding through new air routes and energy diplomacy. Turkish Airlines began direct Istanbul-Yerevan flights, Red Wings resumed Yekaterinburg-Baku service, and the EU turned to Azerbaijan for gas after Qatar cut supplies. A national carrier also established a new route via Afghanistan and Azerbaijan to Europe.
Diplomatic relations with Iran are severely strained, centering on security incidents and mutual accusations. Azerbaijan evacuated its diplomats from Iran, sent humanitarian aid amid regional escalation, and a French national was jailed in Baku for spying. High-level diplomatic exchanges with Turkey, Belarus, and Georgia's Prime Minister continued.
A direct security crisis with Iran is underway, featuring drone attacks on Nakhchivan airport and foiled terror plots. Azerbaijan blamed Iran for the attack and promised a response, while also claiming to have dismantled an Iranian spy cell and foiled plots targeting a pipeline, a synagogue, and the Israeli embassy.
The region serves as a critical evacuation corridor for foreign nationals fleeing conflict in Iran, with Armenia and Azerbaijan facilitating exits. Concurrently, Georgia is navigating a period of societal transition following the death of its long-reigning Patriarch Ilia II.