Azerbaijan Has Said Its Territory Was Hit By Iranian Drone Attacks But Iran Denied Responsibility
Iran has denied responsibility for the attack, saying the incident may have been an “Israeli false flag” operation.
Azerbaijan said its territory was hit by Iranian drone attacks as the US and Israel’s war against Iran continues.
Azerbaijan shares a border with northwestern Iran, and the two countries have had strained relations in recent years, partly due to Azerbaijan’s close security and economic ties with Israel.
According to Azerbaijani authorities, on Thursday, March 5, one drone struck the terminal building at Nakhchivan International Airport.
Nakhchivan, where the airport was struck, is geographically separated from the rest of Azerbaijan and lies between Iran, Armenia and Turkey, making it a strategically sensitive area.
Other drones landed near a school in the nearby village of Shakarabad.
Officials said at least two people were injured in the strikes and infrastructure at the airport was damaged.
In a statement released after the incident, the Azerbaijani government said the drones had entered its airspace from Iranian territory and called on Tehran to investigate.
“This attack against the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan constitutes a violation of the norms and principles of international law and serves to increase tensions in the region,” the statement said.
Iran has denied responsibility for the attack, saying the incident may have been an “Israeli false flag” operation, adding Iran had not targeted Azerbaijani territory, the BBC reported.
Azerbaijan said it expects Iran to provide a full explanation for the incident as investigations continue.
It vowed unspecified retaliatory measures, closed southern airspace for 12 hours, halted truck crossings from Iran and withdrew diplomats.
Iran has long accused Azerbaijan of allowing Israeli espionage from its territory and accused it of undermining its security, according to Al Jazeera.
Azerbaijan said it would defend its territory but not join anti-Iran operations.
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Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
