MEDIA slams CNN's anti-Azerbaijani allegations as 'gross information manipulation'

"On June 5, 2026, CNN published a report citing its own made-up ‘sources,’ claiming that Israeli forces allegedly used Azerbaijani territory during Israel’s war with Iran. We consider the dissemination of such blatantly false information by a globally recognized transnational media organization, without any factual evidence, to be a deliberate act of crude information manipulation," the agency said in a statement.

"By spreading disinformation and disregarding the values of media ethics and the fundamental principles of professional journalism, including balanced news reporting, CNN has not only damaged its own reputation but has also acted as a propaganda tool in a hybrid war," it noted.

"The disinformation disseminated by CNN constitutes a political provocation directed against Azerbaijan and regional security as a whole. The publication of this information is aimed at creating confusion within the international community, undermining regional stability and interstate relations, and generating tension in the region."

"It has repeatedly been stated at the highest official level that the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan has under no circumstances been used against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and that such fabricated and biased claims constitute blatant information manipulation," the agency added. 

The agency urged CNN to retract this report and apologize to Azerbaijan for spreading information that threatens regional security, violates the principles of media ethics and journalistic professionalism, and seeks to mislead public opinion.