Rob Sobhani: “President Aliyev is ready to work with Trump and the U.S. private sector”

The Washington Times has published an article by Dr. Rob Sobhani, a professor at Georgetown University, on the Aug. 8 White House meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Sobhani wrote that during the signing ceremony of the peace declaration, Aliyev called Trump “the most important leader on the world stage,” making what he described as an unprecedented statement by a head of state. He said Aliyev’s leadership qualities make him one of Trump’s most trusted allies globally.

Sobhani highlighted that Aliyev named the strategic land corridor between Azerbaijan and Armenia after Trump — the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP), which he said created a new geopolitical reality on the border with Iran.

The article stressed Aliyev’s role as a reliable partner in global energy security, his support for the Trans-Caspian pipeline, and Azerbaijan’s record of religious tolerance and strong ties with Israel.

Sobhani added that Aliyev is ready to work with Trump and the U.S. private sector, including investments in American artificial intelligence companies and cooperation with leading U.S. universities and businesses. “Since coming to power in 2003, Aliyev has welcomed every American company willing to invest in Azerbaijan. On the world stage, Trump will not find a more reliable ally than Ilham Aliyev to advance his vision of global peace and prosperity,” Sobhani concluded.