Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has issued a stern statement characterizing Iran's recent actions as acts of direct aggression against his country.
The head of state emphasized that "a terrorist act has been committed by Iran against the Azerbaijani state." According to Aliyev, this is not the first instance where the neighboring regime has organized "terrorist acts against Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis," and the republic no longer intends to tolerate such pressure.
In response to attacks involving Iranian drones, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have already received corresponding instructions. Baku has issued an ultimatum to Tehran, stating that "Iranian officials must provide explanations and offer an apology." The President added that while the country "will not tolerate this unjustified act of terror," it remains committed to maintaining regional stability.
Despite the sharp escalation in diplomatic relations, Ilham Aliyev ruled out the possibility of the republic being drawn into a large-scale conflict. He officially confirmed that Azerbaijan "is not participating and will not participate in operations against Iran," drawing a clear line between the defense of its own borders and external military intervention.
As previously reported by Hvylya, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has officially denied Tehran's involvement in a recent drone incident near Nakhchivan International Airport in Azerbaijan. The statement comes amid heightened tensions following reports of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) crossing into Azerbaijani territory.
According to the Iranian diplomat, the Islamic Republic is "not targeting neighboring countries." Gharibabadi addressed the allegations following a formal protest from Baku, suggesting that any military action would only be directed at "military bases of our adversaries" if they were used to launch attacks against Iran. He further noted that he would investigate the source and nature of the reports before providing a more detailed comment.
The incident, which occurred on Thursday, March 5, involved at least two drones launched from the direction of the Iranian border. One UAV reportedly struck the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport, while another crashed near a school in the village of Shakarabad. Azerbaijani authorities confirmed that the strikes resulted in injuries to civilians and significant damage to civilian infrastructure.
Baku has strongly condemned the attacks as a violation of international law and a threat to regional stability. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan summoned the Iranian ambassador to demand an urgent explanation and an official apology, warning that the republic reserves the right to take retaliatory measures to protect its sovereignty.