Iranian drones strike Azerbaijan

The attack occurred on March 5. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement: “We demand that the Islamic Republic of Iran provide explanations on this matter as soon as possible, conduct an appropriate investigation, and take urgent measures to ensure that such attacks do not happen again.” The ministry added that the strike violates international law and norms and contributes to rising tensions in the region.

One of the drones reportedly hit an airport terminal in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, about 10 kilometers from the Iranian border. The second is said to have crashed “near a school building in the village of Shekerabad.” In response to the attacks, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Iranian ambassador. The Iranian side denied allegations of launching drones toward Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is a close military partner of Israel. Iran has previously expressed concern that Israel could use Azerbaijani territory to carry out attacks. Relations between the two countries remain strained, partly because Iran is home to a significant Azerbaijani minority, estimated at between 10 and 20 million people.

This is yet another Iranian attack on a country outside the Persian Gulf that is not involved in the conflict. A day earlier, Turkey intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile. As in the case of Azerbaijan, Iran denied that Turkey was its target. For now, these incidents should be regarded as isolated events rather than a deliberate attempt by Iran to escalate the conflict.