Baku, Azerbaijan – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Thursday ordered the military to prepare for retaliatory attacks against Iran. He accused Tehran of carrying out an “unprovoked act of terrorism and aggression” following the drone attack on the Nakhchivan region.
Accusations of targeting Nakhchivan
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry announced that a drone crashed near Nakhchivan Airport. Another drone crashed near a school in the same region, in an incident that has sparked renewed tensions between Baku and Tehran.
The ministry confirmed that Azerbaijani authorities are investigating the incident. It noted that the attack did not result in any fatalities. However, the incident has raised security concerns in the region, which is close to the Iranian border.
Nakhchivan is an exclave of Azerbaijan located between Armenia, Iran, and Turkey. Its geographical location is particularly sensitive given the escalating regional tensions.
Official Iranian denial
For its part, the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff denied launching any drones toward Azerbaijani territory. It asserted that Tehran is not targeting civilian infrastructure or sites in the ongoing conflict in the region.
Iranian authorities have also repeatedly denied carrying out attacks against oil facilities or civilian targets. Nevertheless, reports have emerged of missiles and drones striking various locations during the current military escalation.
Old tension between the two neighbors
The incident has once again highlighted the complex nature of relations between Azerbaijan and Iran. These relations have been marked by frequent tensions in recent years due to several security and political issues.
The growing military and economic ties between Baku and Israel are a source of concern for Tehran. Iran accuses Azerbaijan of allowing Israeli intelligence agencies to operate from its territory.
In response, Baku maintains that it does not permit its territory to be used to launch attacks against Iran. It describes Tehran as a “friendly and neighboring country,” despite the increasing political and security disagreements between the two nations in recent times.
