Another shadow war? Amid Middle East tensions, rivals Israel & Iran now rush to woo Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan just hosted the Iranian president — and weeks later, Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to land in Baku. Why is a small Caspian nation suddenly at the center of such high-stakes diplomacy? Iran and Azerbaijan have spent years trading accusations, cutting ties, and drawing red lines. So why the sudden reset? And more importantly — why is Israel watching so closely? This isn’t just about diplomacy. It’s about geography, pipelines, alliances — and a potential new front in the Iran-Israel shadow war. Azerbaijan’s oil-rich location, wedged between Russia, Iran, and Turkey, makes it a prime vantage point in West Asia. Israel sees a launchpad. Iran sees a threat. And Azerbaijan? It sees leverage. In this episode of Grey Zone, Ananya Dutta breaks down why Azerbaijan matters, what Iran and Israel are fighting over, and whether Baku is playing peacemaker — or power broker.