Azerbaijani diplomatic mission staff evacuated from Iran
Employees from the embassy in Tehran and the consulate general in Tabriz have been evacuated to Azerbaijan.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," due to military action in Iran, bus routes through that country between Baku and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic have been suspended. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry recommended citizens to refrain from visiting Iran and Israel.
On February 28, Israel and the United States began strikes against Iran. Donald Trump announced the start of a large-scale military operation. In response, Iran launched shelling attacks on Israel, American military facilities, and civilian targets in the Middle East, according to the Caucasian Knot report "Key Issues on the Impact of the Military Conflict with Iran on the Caucasus."
Employees of the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran have been evacuated from Iran; they arrived in Azerbaijan through the Astara border crossing, Trend reports today.
Furthermore, the evacuation of employees of the Azerbaijani consulate general in Tabriz has been completed, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ayhan Hajizade told the APA news agency.
Yesterday, March 6, the foreign minister announced that instructions had been given to evacuate employees of the embassy in Tehran and the consulate general in Tabriz, the agency writes.
January 27 In 2023, an attack was carried out on the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran. The head of security was killed and two other guards were injured. Following the incident, Azerbaijan suspended embassy operations and evacuated its staff, but the consulate general in Tabriz continued to operate. In July 2024, the embassy in Tehran resumed operations.
Amid worsening relations between Iran and the United States, Baku declared its refusal to allow strikes on its neighboring country, and Ilham Aliyev expressed its readiness to help reduce tensions. Analysts considered Azerbaijan's position on the conflict in Iran pragmatic.
On March 5, a drone attack on the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic injured four people. Ilham Aliyev called the attack a "deliberate terrorist attack by Iran," and the Azerbaijani army was put on alert.
The drone attack was likely intentional, but Azerbaijan will initially limit itself to diplomatic and political measures, avoiding direct military escalation, analysts in Baku suggested. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister stated that the Islamic Republic did not strike Azerbaijan.
Caucasian Knot has compiled materials on the impact of military action in Iran on the Caucasus on the topic page "Iran: War Is Near".