Iran Press/ Asia: Zionist regime foreign minister Eli Cohen, who visited Baku last week, confirmed in an interview with "Times of Israel" that Azerbaijan “chose an Israeli company in a satellite procurement deal.”
“We were told by the Azeris that they had chosen an Israeli company to make a deal to purchase satellites, but I have to say that the more significant agreement is for the sale of water desalination facilities.
Beyond that, the visit in Baku was mostly meant to show appreciation for them opening an embassy in Israel after a 30-year relationship,” noted Cohen.
Azerbaijan operates two communications and one observation satellite.
Last week its national space agency, Azercosmos, reported that it had lost contact with the observation satellite a year before it was due to complete its mission.
Azercosmos attributed the problem to the satellite being damaged by space debris or a meteorite. Attempts by the agency and the satellite’s manufacturer, Airbus, to restore communications failed.
“After nine years, the Azersky observation satellite has completed its mission,” the agency reported. “While it was in orbit, the satellite transmitted more than 80,000 images in a volume of half a petabyte.”
New Israeli-made reconnaissance satellites for Azerbaijan
The space agency also said that it had launched a project for “a new, higher-resolution observation satellite project, which responds to the challenges of modern technological development in accordance with the wishes of local institutions.” This may be the background to the satellite deal being worked out with IAI.
IAI has been in the satellite business since the 1980s. In 1988, it launched into orbit Ofek 1 and since then has been responsible for developing launchers and satellites for the entire Ofek family of spy satellites, which carry advanced reconnaissance sensors.
The latest, Ofek 13, was launched in March. A year ago, it launched EROS-C3, the largest intelligence satellite it had ever developed, for the company ImageSat International.
Israel - Azerbaijan secret military deals
Israel enjoys warm relations with Azerbaijan, and has, over the years, sold Baku advanced military technology worth billions of dollars.
A recent Haaretz investigation revealed dozens of cargo flights from Baku to an Israeli airstrip near Eilat, used for the export of explosives.
Based on extensive media reports and official statements and videos, Israel has exported a wide range of military equipment – from the Tavor rifle to its most sophisticated technology, including radar, air defense systems, anti-tank and ballistic missiles, ships, and a variety of drones – both for intelligence and attack purposes.
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