Military action in Iran has affected Azerbaijani residents' plans for Novruz.

Azerbaijan has declared 11 days off in connection with the spring holiday of Novruz and the end of the month of Ramadan. The war in the Middle East has affected residents' weekend plans and the country's tourism sector.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, in 2022, Azerbaijani residents complained about a price increase of approximately a third for Novruz holiday food. In 2023, Azerbaijani residents reported that the increase in food prices before the holiday was mitigated by discounts in stores.

Novruz Bayram is celebrated in Azerbaijan on March 20. This year, it also coincided with the holiday of Ramadan.

The country has a long (11-day) period of public holidays from March 20 to March 30. This continuity is due to the fact that, according to the Labor Code, five non-working days are allocated for the celebration of Novruz, two more days for Ramadan, and two regular days off at the end of workweeks.

Azerbaijanis debate the need for such long holidays

At the same time, attitudes toward such an extended period of non-working days vary across the country.

"This is wonderful; we've essentially received additional vacation time. We can go for walks with the children, go on excursions, receive guests, and visit friends." “In general, you can get away from the daily hustle and bustle, running around, and sudden problems that fall on your head like snow,” Narmina Sadykhova, a biology teacher at a secondary school, told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

We can't afford to travel abroad, let alone to the rest of the country.

Kindergarten teacher Elmira Agayeva isn't particularly happy about the long weekend.

"Novruz is our most precious and beloved holiday. But a few days off are quite enough. A lot of days off when you don't have the money to spend them well? Long weekends are great when you have the opportunity to travel. Our family's income is modest. We can't afford to travel abroad, let alone to the rest of the country. Even in mid-range hotels, rooms during the holidays cost at least 200 manat (about $120), and the price only includes breakfast. Expenses have already increased before the holidays due to the rise in prices for groceries, fruits, and vegetables," the woman said.

Civil servant Elsever Muradov is happy about the long weekend.

"This year we have 10-11 days off. My family and I are going to my native Gakh region. The children miss their grandparents, and they miss them. It's beautiful there, nature comes alive in the spring, we'll breathe in the fresh air and have some fun," Muradov noted.

The war in Iran interfered with holiday plans

The war in the Middle East affected the plans of commercial bank employee Elmar Aliyev.

"My friends and I were planning to go to Dubai. This destination is the most advantageous for us, residents of Azerbaijan, in terms of price and quality. We don't need visas there, and low-cost airlines fly to the UAE. But because of the war, flights have been suspended. We had to "Adjust your plans and go to Gabala," Aliyev said.

10:54 20.03.2026

More than 2,800 people have been evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan

Since February 28, 470 Azerbaijani citizens, 323 Russian citizens, and 16 Georgian citizens have been evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan. A total of 2,853 people have been allowed to cross the Iranian-Azerbaijani border.

Chinara Musayeva also lamented the cancellation of flights to the UAE.

"We bought tickets on a low-cost airline to Abu Dhabi back in January, and the whole family wanted to spend the holidays in the Emirates. But flights to Abu Dhabi were completely canceled, and flights to Dubai were reduced, and prices skyrocketed. However, even if flights were normal, who would travel to the Emirates during a war when people are fleeing? Extreme travel is definitely not for me. Our family members have Schengen visas. But airfare to Europe has skyrocketed due to increased demand. After all, foreigners fleeing Iran fly to their home countries via Baku... Never mind the travel. Things are unsettled everywhere right now. Azerbaijan is also a great place to relax. We'll spend the end of this week strolling around Baku, visiting the holiday fairs, and going to the cinema. "And next week we'll go to Shahdag (ski resort) for 2-3 days," Musayeva said.

12:35 March 13, 2026

Social media users debated the return of Azerbaijani families to Karabakh

For Azerbaijanis to return to Karabakh, demining and the construction of houses and infrastructure are necessary, Azerbaijani commentators pointed out, explaining the slow pace of resettlement. At the same time, they called this the restoration of justice. Armenian users countered that many of the settlements in question were historically Armenian.

Elchin Mirzoyev intends to spend the holidays in Shusha.

"I will visit my relatives in Shusha. Last year, the state provided them with a spacious apartment in Shusha, from where they were forced to flee 34 years ago. Shusha is being restored; it's very beautiful now. Relatives have been inviting us to visit for a long time. Finally, the opportunity has presented itself. I'll go there for three or four days. I'd stay longer, but I work in the private sector, and we can't vacation for all 11 days; it would cost us more," Mirzoyev noted.

The official Novruz celebration script has changed in Azerbaijan.

Until 2020, the main event of the holiday—the lighting of the bonfire—was held in Baku at the Maiden Tower in the Old City. After a 44-day war, the country's leadership invariably celebrates the onset of Novruz in Karabakh.

The head of state's visits to Karabakh during Novruz undoubtedly carry a distinct political and symbolic significance.

This year, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with former internally displaced persons who had returned to the village of Khanoba in the Khojavend region on the eve of the holiday and lit a celebratory bonfire there.

"This is the sixth year in a row that the head of state has celebrated Novruz in Karabakh, starting in 2021, and participated in the lighting of the celebratory bonfire. The head of state's visits to Karabakh during Novruz undoubtedly carry a distinct political and symbolic significance. This reinforces the theme of restoring territorial integrity in the public consciousness and helps strengthen the narrative of national unity around the current government, which has achieved this goal,” Baku analyst Tofig Turkel told a Caucasian Knot correspondent.

Commenting on the coincidence of Novruz and Ramadan, the analyst noted that in Azerbaijan it was perceived as a dual holiday, without antagonism.

"In some Muslim countries or regions, certain radical movements reject Novruz, considering it a pagan holiday and oppose its celebration. Fortunately, such aggressive manifestations have never occurred in Azerbaijan. This did not happen now, when the holidays coincided. Believers fasted, and on Tuesdays of Ramadan and on the eve of the holiday, the iftar dinner (breaking the fast) coincided with the festive dinners of "chershenbe" and "bayramakhshamy." On the morning of March 20, believers performed the festive prayer in mosques, and those who do not attend mosques went to public festivities in the Old City, fairs, the boulevard, and Fountain Square in the morning," said Turkel.

K Prices for baked goods have increased for Novruz.

A comparison of prices in supermarkets and pastry shops showed a price increase for Novruz-related baked goods – baklava, shekerbura, badambura, and gogal – of approximately 20-30 percent compared to last year.

Butter has increased in price by 30 percent, flour and sugar by the same amount, and nuts and walnuts have almost doubled.

A manager of one pastry chain attributed this to an increase in processed products.

"Butter has increased in price by 30 percent, flour and sugar by the same amount, and nuts and walnuts by the same amount." Almost doubled. Therefore, the cost of the final product has also increased. While last year we couldn't even fulfill pre-orders, this year, even during peak periods, sweets are still readily available. While people used to order 50-100 pieces, now they're buying 5-10, just to serve. "Cooking for ourselves is also expensive; groceries are still expensive, and there's not enough time. Now even women work 10 hours a day," the employee said.

Flight cancellations have impacted domestic tourism and the arrival of foreigners.

The war in the Middle East has also impacted domestic tourism in Azerbaijan.

02:58 09.03.2026

Peseshkian stated that Iran was not involved in the drone incident in Azerbaijan

During a telephone conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran had nothing to do with the drone attack on Nakhchivan, and stressed that the incident would be investigated.

"Because of the war, many flights from the Middle East have been canceled, so tourists from Arab countries. Many were planning to visit him after Ramadan, knowing that Baku is even more beautiful during Novruz. On the other hand, Iranians can't come either. Even after land entry was abolished, they always flew in. But now there are no flights there, and they have no time for holidays. In recent years, Azerbaijan has seen a large influx of tourists from Israel, especially Russian-speaking tourists. They're accustomed to living in wartime conditions and would have come anyway, but there are no flights from us to Israel either. And many Russians have canceled their reservations due to the drone strikes in Nakhchivan. “They say it’s better to come in the summer or fall, we won’t take any risks now,” Lalezar Isayeva, who works as a private guide, told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

She noted that local guides are now trying to compensate for canceled tours by organizing group excursions for schoolchildren.

At Baku Airport, a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent was informed that due to military actions in the Middle East, flights to Abu Dhabi, Doha, and partly to Dubai have been suspended (previously, there were four flights there per day, now there is one flight – and that is operated by a Dubai company).

A source in Azerbaijan’s civil aviation explained that The financial losses from cancelled flights in these directions are offset by an increase in transit flights through Azerbaijan's airspace between the East and West, as well as an increase in airfare prices to various destinations due to the increased flow of foreigners being evacuated from Iran.