Deputy Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan since 23 September 2024.

Born in the village of Hamarkend of the Yardimli Province on 28 October 1957. Graduated cum laude from the History Department of the Azerbaijan State University. Doctor of History, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, laureate of the “Shohrat” Order. He was awarded the Medal of Honour of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Dozens of books and scientific articles written by him have been published in Azerbaijan and abroad. Scientists from 55 countries have referred to his works 363 times. His International Hirsch Index score is 10. Knows Russian and English.

Member of several research centres and editorial teams of a few international academic journals.

Worked as a secondary school teacher in the Yardimli Province during 1979–1982. Postgraduate student, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor at the Department of New and Modern History of Europe and America at the Azerbaijan State University, as well as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of History at the same university in 1982-1992. Leading Specialist and Chief Counsellor of the International Relations Department of the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan since 1992. Professor at the Department of New and Modern History of Europe and America at the Azerbaijan State University starting in 1997. Was Founding Director of the NASA Caucasian Studies Institute (2016–2024).

No political party membership.

Was Member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan of the 4^th, 5th and 6^th convocations as well as Deputy Chairman of the Milli Majlis Science and Education Committee.

Leads the Azerbaijan Delegation to the GUAM Parliamentary Assembly and the Azerbaijan-Afghanistan Inter-Parliamentary Relations Working Group.

Married, with four children.