A great increase in tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan occurred, after the Azerbaijani government reported a drone attack that hit the Nakhchivan region, a an enclave of Azerbaijan located between Iran, Armenia and Turkey. The incident left four civilians injured and damaged key infrastructure, including the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport
.According to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense, four drones from Iranian territory crossed the border and entered Nakhchivan airspace. One of the devices directly hit the airport terminal, causing damage to the roof of the building and generating a column of smoke visible in recordings broadcast on social networks.
Another drone fell near a school in a nearby village, while a third was shot down by the Azerbaijani army and the fourth hit civilian infrastructure. Health authorities in the enclave reported that four people were injured and were taken to hospitals, where they remain
in stable condition.Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called the incident an act of “terror and unprovoked aggression” against his country during a meeting of the National Security Council. Aliyev stated that the armed forces had been instructed to prepare and execute retaliatory measures. He also demanded that Iran provide an official explanation, issue an apology and bring to justice those responsible for the
attack.
For its part, Tehran denied any involvement in the events. The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, assured that Iran had not attacked Azerbaijan or any neighboring country. In statements released by Iranian media, he argued that the Islamic Republic does not target
