Azerbaijan vows to respond after Iranian drone attack
Azerbaijan has warned that it is preparing unspecified response measures after a pair of Iranian drones crossed the border and injured four people in Nakhchivan, raising concerns that the conflict will spread further into the Middle East.
“These attacks will not remain unanswered,” Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
He added that the types of UAVs used in the attack were investigated and “the necessary intervention measures were prepared to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country and to ensure the security of civilians and civilian infrastructure.”
Azerbaijan and Iran already have tense relations due to Baku’s growing economic, energy and military ties with Türkiye and Israel.
Iran, which has retaliated against US and Israeli attacks since Saturday and is now waging an air war spanning the Middle East, also boasts a sizeable ethnic Azeri population.
In its previous statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded that Iran “clarify the issue as soon as possible, make a statement and take the necessary urgent measures to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.”
The statement said, “This attack on Azerbaijani territory is contrary to the norms and principles of international law and contributes to increased tension in the region.”
Iran’s ambassador to Azerbaijan was summoned to the ministry and received an official note of protest.
Azerbaijan said a drone crashed into the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport, about 10 km from the Iranian border, and another drone crashed near a school building in a nearby village.
Video footage showed black smoke rising near the airport and damage to the skylight of the terminal building.
The Nakhchivan Ministry of Health told Reuters that the four injured people were hospitalized and their condition was stable.
Nakhchivan is a landlocked region of Azerbaijan bordering Armenia, Iran and Türkiye.
NATO member Türkiye and Azerbaijan signed an alliance agreement that includes strengthening defense ties in 2021.
NATO air defenses destroyed an Iranian ballistic missile headed for Turkish airspace, Türkiye said on Wednesday.
