Iran-Related Media Restrictions and Turkish Aid Surge Intensify Middle East Tensions

Azerbaijan has barred two Iranian media outlets – the television channel Sahar and the news agency Mehr – from operating in the country, accusing them of propaganda that threatens national sovereignty. The move follows Iran's intelligence service naming the Azerbaijani state broadcaster as hostile, and comes amid a broader escalation of Ankara‑Tehran tensions, including reports of covert Israeli activity from Azerbaijani territory near the Iranian border.

At the same time, the Turkish humanitarian organization IHH, linked to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, continues to expand its presence in northern Gaza despite being designated a terrorist entity by Israel. IHH distributes food, constructs mosques and schools, and operates engineering projects using local contractors, a strategy Ankara views as extending its soft‑power influence in the enclave and mirroring similar efforts in Sudan, Somalia and Libya.