Azerbaijan, Turkey, Uzbekistan debut trilateral exercise in Karabakh; Iran observes

Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan conducted the first-ever 'Power of Unity, 2026' trilateral military exercise in Azerbaijan's Karabakh region, with Iran among observers. This marks a new level of defense cooperation among Turkic states and signals a potential shift in regional security dynamics, particularly vis-à-vis Iran and Armenia. The inclusion of Iran as an observer adds complexity, as it balances its ties with Azerbaijan and Turkey.