Newsletters
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev accused Iran of “terrorism” on Thursday and threatened retaliation after drone attacks wounded four people and struck an airport and an area near a school in the country's Nakhchivan exclave.
“Today terrorist act was carried out from the Iranian side against the territory of Azerbaijan,” Aliyev told the security council meeting.
The Azerbaijan military “has been instructed to prepare and carry out retaliatory measures” and “placed on mobilisation level number one, and must be ready to conduct any operation,” he added.
Azerbaijan said Thursday that its Nakhchivan exclave was hit by drones launched from Iranian territory.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said attacks occurred around midday, with one drone striking the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport while another fell near a school building in the village of Shakarabad.
“We strongly condemn these drone attacks launched from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which resulted in damage to the airport building and injuries to two civilians,” the statement said.
It added that the attack “constitutes a violation of norms and principles of international law and serves to increase tensions in the region.”
The Foreign Ministry said Baku called on Tehran to provide a clear explanation regarding the incident “within the shortest possible timeframe,” conduct an appropriate investigation and take necessary measures to ensure such attacks are not repeated.
The statement added that Azerbaijan reserves the right to take “appropriate response measures.”
Iran's Ambassador to Baku Mojtaba Demirchilou was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, where officials said a strong protest would be conveyed and a diplomatic note would be presented.
Separately, the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry condemned attacks and said Iran “bears full responsibility for the incident.”
“The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan is preparing necessary response measures to protect territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country, ensure safety of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and these acts of aggression will not go unanswered,” it said.
Meanwhile, Iran's armed forces denied Thursday that they had launched a drone attack on Azerbaijan after Baku said at least two Iranian drones hit the country.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran ... denies its armed forces launched a drone toward the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the general staff of armed forces said in a statement carried by state television, which also blamed Israel.
“Such actions by the Zionist regime, aimed at disrupting relations between Muslim countries in various ways, are not unprecedented.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the attack on the Azerbaijan autonomous Nakhchivan exclave in a phone call on Thursday with Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said.
During the call, officials discussed a drone attack targeting Nakhchivan, sources added.
Call followed earlier statement by Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry saying its exclave was hit by drones launched from Iran, with one striking the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport, while another fell near a school building in the village of Shakarabad.
“We strongly condemn these drone attacks launched from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which resulted in damage to the airport building and injuries to two civilians,” the ministry said.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
