<h1>Azerbaijan and Syria pledge deeper energy cooperation as interim leader visits to rebuild strained ties</h1> The leaders of Azerbaijan and Syria pledged to deepen cooperation, particularly in energy, as they work to revitalize ties strained under the former Syrian president. The Azerbaijani president hosted Syria's interim leader, whose rebel forces toppled the previous government in December. They discussed plans to export Azerbaijani gas to Syria via Turkey and Azerbaijan's potential role in rebuilding Syria's energy infrastructure. The new Syrian authorities maintain strong relations with Turkey, Azerbaijan's close ally, with Azerbaijan serving as an intermediary to reduce tensions between Turkey and Israel in the Syrian arena.