Khalafov worked in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijani SSR as an Inspector, Head of Division in 1983–1990. He started his diplomatic career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan in 1991. He served there as Second secretary of the Consular Department in 1991–1992, Head of the Treaty and Legal Department in 1992–1997, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan in the period of 1997–2018. In 2018–2019, he served as the Chief of Office of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan.[1][2] On May 3, 2019, Khalaf Khalafov was appointed the Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for border and the Caspian Sea issues.[3] Since May 2019, he is the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.[1]