Azerbaijan opened an embassy in Israel after 30 years of diplomatic relations between the two sides, and Israel welcomed the move as an expression of the depth of their relationship.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen after arriving in Jerusalem.

She added that the two ministers inaugurated the headquarters of the Azerbaijani embassy in Tel Aviv after their meeting, which she described as historic, and noted that they discussed bilateral relations, common interests and ways of cooperation between them.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was appointed ambassador to Israel in January and signed a presidential decree appointing Mukhtar Mammadov, a veteran official who held positions in the foreign and education ministries, to be Azerbaijan's first ambassador to Israel.

Bayramov said that Israel was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan, and during the past years the relations between them were strong on the basis of dialogue and mutual understanding, and reached the stage of strategic relationship.

Cohen said Azerbaijan is a strategic partner for Israel, with the two countries cooperating on a wide range of issues including security, energy and tourism.

Last November, the Azerbaijani parliament passed a law paving the way for the opening of the first state embassy in Israel, to be based in Tel Aviv.

Azerbaijan and Israel have sought to develop their relations since the official announcement of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Baku and Tel Aviv in April 1992, and these relations have been strengthened and strengthened in recent years in the military and security fields.