Khudafarin bridge has always been the symbol of longing, separation, inaccessibility. Finally, the Azerbaijani flag has been hoisted in the Khudafarin bridge. 

There are probably no people who have not seen at least photos of Khudafarin bridge... However, I hear about the Khudafarin village for the first time. Khudafarin village located in Jabrayil region, bordering on Iran, with the Araz river on the one side and the Lesser Caucasus on the other side and consisting of 60-70 houses... The residents first went to Iran, then from there to Beylagan, later, to Baku after first becoming IDPs. Village residents have numerously gone to Iran in order to take a look at their villages from another side of the Araz river. 

There is a railway line from Khudafarin to Nakhchivan, Yerevan. Rumor has it that at that time, many bridges were constructed over the Araz river, but the most beautiful one was Khudafarin. There is also another bridge a bit far from Khudafarin. That bridge is also called Khudafarin. The second bridge was built in the XIII century during the period of the Elkhanis. 

What have Khudafarin bridges witnessed? They witnessed feudal wars of the Middle Ages, Agha Muhammad Shah Gajar's campaign to Azerbaijan, Russian-Iranian wars, the Soviet period repressions, Jabrayil's occupation by Armenia in the late XX century... And today is the most beautiful day for the "Bridge of Longing". The hoisting of the flag in the bridge is the fruit of the tree that was planted a long time ago, long-year-experience, the end of the road. Four years ago, in February of 2016, an agreement was signed in Tehran. The agreement envisaged the construction of the "Khudafarin" and "Maiden Tower" Hydroelectric Power Plants. Although the agreement signed is based on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, it caused a lot of controversy at the time. At that time, some political forces claimed that as a result of the agreement, the bridges built over the Araz river would strengthen the communication between Armenia and Iran. They presented it almost as it would create conditions for "Iran-Armenia cooperation". They did not take into consideration the possibility of the occupied territories, as well as Khudafarin, being liberated.  

The liberation of Khudafarin from the Armenian occupation is the military success of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and the result of his forward-looking policy. The agreement signed 4 years ago has prevented the illegal activity of occupant Armenia over the Araz river. 

Looking from today's reality, it becomes clear that the important project, which will have a great impact on the social-economic development of that region, has been implemented. This is the success of our state, our people, all of us...

At that time, we could not say "goodbye", Khudafarin. Be happy, we are coming back.

Aysham Rustamova