Azerbaijan Threatens to Attack Armenia Using All its ‘Arsenal,’ Denounces U.S., EU

Azerbaijan on Thursday threatened to unleash a large-scaled military attack against in response to what it called “provocations” by Armenia along its border. Baku also denounced the United States and the European Union for stepping up their military cooperation with Armenia.

“Armenia and its supporters should refrain from creating a new conflict zone in the South Caucasus,” said a statement by Azerbaijan’s defense ministry, which claimed that Armenian Armed forces had used “heavy weapons” and reconnaissance drones against targets on the Azerbaijani border.

“If such provocative actions do not stop, appropriate steps will be taken using all means in the arsenal of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan for the purpose of self-defense,” the Azerbaijani defense ministry added in its statement, saying that Armenia’s so-called military provocations have become commonplace of late.

Armenia’s defense ministry has denied and rejected Baku’s allegations and claims of escalating military tensions.

Especially terse was Baku’s denouncement of the U.S. and the EU, which Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said are emboldening Armenia for war against Azerbaijan.

“The military exercises conducted by the United States in Armenia [this month,] the provision of lethal weapons by France to Armenia and the European Union’s allocation of 10 million euros in military aid to Yerevan under the guise of the European Peace Fund inspire the occupying Armenia to resort to new provocations and prepare for another war against Azerbaijan,” Baku emphasized.

The Azerbaijani defense ministry also declared that “the military-political leadership of Armenia and its supporters will bear whole responsibility for the escalation of the situation in the region.”

Yerevan was quick to respond to Baku’s latest threats, with Armenia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan saying in a statement on Thursday that Armenia rejected the latest Azerbaijani claims. She added that was unacceptable for Baku to draw Armenia into what she called “rhetoric of escalation.”

Badalyan pointed out that Baku has not responded to Yerevan’s proposal to create a bilateral mechanism to investigate truce violations along the border.

“The establishment of such a mechanism would make it possible to clarify any situation and would have prevented the spread of false information,” Badalyan said, adding that Yerevan’s “offer still stands.”

“The Government of the Republic of Armenia remains committed to the peace agenda and will not deviate from this strategy,” Badalyan emphasized.

The foreign ministry spokesperson also stressed that it was Armenia’s sovereign right to bolster its military capabilities as it sought to advance reforms in the military sector.

“We have repeatedly stated that having a combat-capable army is the sovereign right of any country, and the Republic of Armenia does not have any other goal in the field of defense and security beyond the protection of its internationally recognized territory. In the process of army reforms, the Republic of Armenia operates exclusively within the framework of international law,” Badalyan explained.