Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree recalling Rashad Mammadov from his post as Azerbaijan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Türkiye, Azerbaijan’s APA news agency reported.

Under a separate presidential decree, Mammadov has been appointed Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Uzbekistan.

In another decree, Rashad Aslanov was appointed Azerbaijan’s new ambassador to Türkiye.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi discussed relations with the United States and the situation surrounding the Ukraine crisis during a meeting held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers in Kyrgyzstan, according to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“The parties discussed relations with the United States and the situation surrounding the Ukraine crisis,” the ministry said.

It added that “following the meeting, the sides noted that their positions coincided or were similar on the majority of the issues discussed.”

On the sidelines of the SCO meeting, Lavrov also held talks with his Iranian counterpart.

Russia will wait for new proposals and ideas from the United States regarding a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in comments to Vesti.

“We will wait. We will wait for new proposals. The Americans are sincere, President Trump is sincere, and his negotiators are sincere in their desire to formulate options that are truly acceptable to everyone,” Peskov said.

The remarks came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Manila on July 23, following the ASEAN Summit, where they discussed issues related to the Ukraine crisis.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the Iranian news agency IRNA reported.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Kyrgyzstan, according to the report.

This article is published under the cooperation agreement between Armenpress and BTA.

Bulgaria’s St. Kliment Ohridski Antarctic Base on Livingston Island has been completely transformed thanks to the Bulgarian naval research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421), Rear Admiral Prof. Kalin Kalinov, rector of the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, said, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported.

Speaking at an official ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of the Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421) joining the Academy’s fleet, Prof. Kalinov said the idea of including a vessel in Bulgaria’s Antarctic expeditions was first proposed in 2015.

He added that the dream began to take shape in 2020 with the support of then Deputy Education Minister Kalina Angelieva and Kiril Valchev, the current Director General of BTA, who at the time was a presenter at Darik Radio. The project became a reality in 2021.

“We carried out four polar expeditions, which evolved from providing logistical support into conducting scientific research. Thanks to the vessel, Bulgaria’s Antarctic base was completely transformed. Research that was unique and unprecedented in its nature was carried out. At the same time, the ship has not abandoned its other national missions,” Prof. Kalinov said.

He also noted that RSV 421 had undergone numerous challenges but had enjoyed the support of the Bulgarian Presidency, the Bulgarian Navy, the entire scientific community, Sofia University, the polar community, and Bulgarian seafarers throughout its voyages.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has said that his country remains committed to joining the European Union, stressing that EU membership continues to be Serbia’s strategic objective. Vučić made the remarks in an interview with the Austrian newspaper Die Presse.

He said Serbia was disappointed by the failure to implement the 2013 Brussels Agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, which remains unfulfilled more than 13 years after it was signed.

“I have a thousand reasons to be disappointed. But in the end, yes, we remain on the European path. I see Serbia’s future in Europe,” Vučić said.

He added that EU membership remains Serbia’s strategic goal and that the country has no alternative, which is why Belgrade must work closely with all EU member states and candidate countries.

Vučić also said he sees no reason to end cooperation with Ukraine, stressing that Serbia is guided by its own national interests.

NATO Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood Javier Colomina visited Qatar to discuss the situation in the Persian Gulf, according to a statement published on the Alliance’s official website.

During the visit, Colomina met with Minister of State for International Cooperation Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad and Chief of Staff of the Qatar Armed Forces Lieutenant General Jassim bin Mohammed Al Mannai.

The discussions focused on the changing regional security environment and opportunities to deepen cooperation between NATO and Qatar.

NATO has confirmed reports that an unidentified drone was shot down in Romanian airspace.

According to a statement issued by the Alliance, two Romanian F-16 fighter jets and two Italian Eurofighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept the drone.

“The drone was shot down in Romanian airspace. The investigation is ongoing, and NATO remains in close contact with the Romanian authorities,” the statement said.

The Alliance did not disclose which country the drone belonged to.

Earlier, Romanian President Nicușor Dan also said that an F-16 fighter jet had shot down a drone that violated the country’s airspace.

The United States and the United Kingdom are planning to hold a high-level meeting to discuss the possible creation of a coalition to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported, citing two European diplomats and two other anonymous sources.

According to the report, the meeting is expected to take place in London, although the exact date and agenda have yet to be determined.

The publication said U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, as well as other Western defence ministers and military leaders, may take part in the meeting.

“The Americans are looking for a way out, and they need our help,” a European diplomat told the outlet.

The United States resumed large-scale strikes against Iran on the night of July 8, accusing Tehran of violating the terms of the June 15 agreement concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, for its part, has continued launching strikes against U.S. military bases across the Middle East.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held a phone conversation, the Iranian news agency Mehr reported, outlining the details of the call.

According to the report, the ministers discussed bilateral relations and regional developments.

The two top diplomats also exchanged views on a range of issues, including bilateral ties, matters of mutual interest, the latest developments in the region, and escalating tensions between Iran and the United States.

In addition, the foreign ministers discussed ways to restore peace, security and stability in the West Asia region.