Terrorist Attack on Nakhchivan: Tehran's Provocation and Baku's Principled Response
The strong reaction of President Ilham Aliyev to Iran's drone attack on Azerbaijani territory has sent a clear message—Baku will not tolerate threats to its security or any aggressive actions against the country.
The strikes on civilian targets—including the Nakhchivan International Airport and its terminal building, used daily by civilians, as well as near a school where children were present—were not only a dangerous military provocation resulting in injuries to several civilians but also another demonstration of political ingratitude from Tehran. This is particularly cynical given Azerbaijan's unequivocal and restrained stance regarding the armed confrontation between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Baku has repeatedly and explicitly stated that Azerbaijani territory will not be used against any neighboring state. President Ilham Aliyev reiterated this principled position during yesterday's Security Council meeting: "Azerbaijan has not participated and will not participate in operations against Iran, neither then nor now. This is our position. We are not interested in conducting any operations against neighboring countries, and our policy does not allow for it."
Azerbaijan's commitment to the principles of good neighborliness was affirmed by the head of state, who personally visited the Iranian Embassy in Baku to express condolences over the death of the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and many civilians. "The terrorist act they committed, along with all other dirty factors, is an example of great ingratitude. As soon as recent events occurred, we sent them a message, expressed our condolences. The Foreign Minister, on my instructions, spoke with his counterpart. I visited their embassy to express condolences and state my position. Apart from me, no other head of state visited any Iranian embassy. To underestimate this, to downplay the significance of what happened, to behave like low, ungrateful people does no one any honor," noted Ilham Aliyev.
Moreover, on the day of the drone attack on Nakhchivan, the Iranian side requested assistance from Baku. As the Azerbaijani leader pointed out: "This morning, I was informed that Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister called Baku and asked Azerbaijan to help evacuate Iranian embassy staff remaining in Lebanon, as they lacked the means to do so. I was briefed and immediately gave instructions to provide assistance and send a plane. They even said they were ready to pay for it. I said there was no need for that—if we don’t help now, in such a difficult time, then when should we? And in return, to deliver such a dirty, vile, and cowardly strike on Nakhchivan?! This stain will never be erased from their ugly faces."
In "gratitude" for this diplomatic courtesy, Iranian armed forces attacked civilian infrastructure on Azerbaijani territory. The head of state described it as a vile and despicable terrorist act: "The Azerbaijani state strongly condemns this abhorrent terrorist act; those who committed it must be immediately held accountable. Iranian officials must provide explanations, apologize to the Azerbaijani side, and those responsible for this terrorist act must face criminal prosecution," he emphasized in his speech.
It should be noted that this is far from the first instance of treacherous aggression by Iran against Azerbaijan. The tragic events of January 27, 2023, when an armed attack occurred on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran, serve as confirmation of this dangerous and unfriendly policy. An armed criminal broke through the security post and killed the head of the diplomatic mission's security service. Two embassy guards were also injured while trying to prevent the attack. "The person who attacked the embassy, acting on instructions from Iranian special services, committed a bloody terrorist act against Azerbaijani citizens. […] We had no doubts even then that this was carried out by the Iranian state. Because this terrorist act, both inside and around the embassy, lasted about 40 minutes. During those 40 minutes, not a single security or police officer approached the embassy. It is clear that this terrorist act was ordered at the highest levels of Iranian state structures to intimidate Azerbaijan and carry out dirty deeds against it. As you know, Azerbaijan reacted very harshly to this incident; the Azerbaijani Embassy was evacuated from Iran, and all diplomatic relations were suspended. The Iranian side was forced to apologize to us and admit its guilt. At our insistent demand, the perpetrator of this terrorist act received the harshest punishment. The Iranian state, which for a long time showed no interest in carrying out this punishment and tried to save the criminal, was forced to execute the terrorist in the presence of Azerbaijani representatives," recalled Ilham Aliyev.
Yesterday's provocation was yet another manifestation of Tehran's hostile policy. The reaction of the President of Azerbaijan was immediate and extremely firm: "These dishonorable people who committed this terrorist act against us will regret it. Let them not test our strength. To those who wanted to test our strength, we smashed their heads with an 'Iron Fist.' Today's incident will lead to the same result. Therefore, a plan of action must be prepared on this issue. All instructions have been given. The Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a note of protest will be handed over, and other diplomatic steps will be taken. Relevant instructions have been issued regarding the border."
"Therefore, all necessary measures will be taken through diplomatic channels. Our Armed Forces—the Ministry of Defense, the State Border Service, and all other special forces units—have been placed on mobilization level one and must be ready to conduct any operation," emphasized Ilham Aliyev. "The Azerbaijani people must be confident that any evil force will face our 'Iron Fist.'"
The resolute stance of the head of state demonstrated that any attempts to threaten Azerbaijan's security will receive an immediate and decisive response. This has already been reflected in practical security measures. Considering the situation resulting from these attacks, which violate the norms and principles of international law, the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan decided "to temporarily suspend the movement of cargo vehicles (including transit trucks) through all border checkpoints on the Azerbaijani-Iranian state border."
For its part, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan stated that it "is preparing necessary response measures to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country, ensure the safety of the civilian population and civilian infrastructure, and these acts of aggression will not go unanswered."
Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stated today that instructions have been given for the evacuation of both the embassy in Tehran and the consulate general in Tabriz. He emphasized that, given the ongoing developments, people's lives cannot be put at risk: "Preparations are currently underway for the evacuation of the embassy and the General Consulate."
Against the backdrop of Azerbaijan's principled position, Iran's denial of involvement in the attacks and its statements about investigating the incident appear as attempts to evade responsibility and soften the international perception of what happened. However, these attempts do not diminish Tehran's responsibility for the incident or change its essence. "The statement by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran that Iran respects the sovereignty of all countries, especially Muslim and neighboring countries, and in this regard, the denial of the attacks carried out by Iran against Azerbaijan today using unmanned aerial vehicles cannot be considered acceptable under any circumstances," stated the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. It noted that technical means established that four drones were sent by Iranian armed forces to strike Nakhchivan, one of which was destroyed by the Azerbaijani Army, while the others targeted civilian infrastructure, including a secondary school building during school hours. Fortunately, the drone aimed at the school building did not reach its target, crashing and exploding nearby. "Given the above, we expect the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran to cease their blatant denial, apologize for the incident, and punish the guilty parties through the relevant Iranian authorities," the Ministry of Defense's statement emphasized.
The international community has strongly condemned the attack by Iranian drones on civilian infrastructure in Nakhchivan. Solidarity with Azerbaijan was expressed by the UN, OIC, EU, International Civil Defense Organization, and officials from several countries.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a phone call with the head of the Azerbaijani state, stated that he condemns the drone attack by Iran on Nakhchivan and expressed support for the brotherly Azerbaijani people.
The leader of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also condemned the Iranian attack on Azerbaijani territory in a call to President Ilham Aliyev. He reiterated his gratitude for the support provided by the head of our state to the UAE during Iran's missile attacks on his country and for the stance condemning that attack. President Ilham Aliyev once again condemned Iran's missile and drone attacks on the United Arab Emirates and emphasized that, as noted during the phone conversation with the UAE leader on February 28, our country stands with the UAE.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in a phone call with President Ilham Aliyev, strongly condemned Iran's drone attacks against Azerbaijan, expressed Uzbekistan's full support for Azerbaijan, and emphasized that his country always stands by Azerbaijan.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, in a conversation with President Ilham Aliyev, stated that he condemns Iran's military attack and terrorist acts against Azerbaijan, emphasized that on this difficult day, the Pakistani state and army stand with the Azerbaijani state and army, and noted that Azerbaijan can always rely on Pakistan. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif stressed that Azerbaijani-Pakistani friendship and brotherhood will continue. The Azerbaijani leader thanked him for the support and solidarity. President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan will always stand for the just cause of brotherly Pakistan. The head of state said that Pakistan's resolute condemnation of the terrorist act committed by Iran against Azerbaijan once again reflects Azerbaijani-Pakistani friendship.
The international reaction further confirms that Azerbaijan's position fully complies with the norms of international law, while Iran's actions find no support either within the region or on the global stage.
The essence of what happened shows that Iran's attack on Azerbaijani territory is not an isolated incident but part of a deliberate strategy, clearly demonstrating Tehran's bad faith and hypocrisy. This is evidenced by the long-standing biased and slanderous narratives, and even threats against Azerbaijan, propagated by Iranian "experts" and amplified by Telegram channels close to the regime. President Ilham Aliyev addressed this in his speech yesterday: "Last summer and in the subsequent period, unfounded accusations were made against us in Iran. Media resources controlled by state bodies conducted a dirty slanderous campaign against Azerbaijan to discredit Azerbaijan and influence the opinions of our compatriots in Iran. Because they know very well that today, the independent Azerbaijani state is a place of hope for many Azerbaijanis living in Iran. The goal was to discredit us, slander us, and tarnish our image before the Iranian public. There was no basis for this. Azerbaijan has not participated and will not participate in operations against Iran, neither then nor now. Because this is our position. We are not interested in conducting any operations against neighboring countries, and our policy does not allow for it. We defend and have defended our territorial integrity. Just as we put an end to Armenian occupation, we are ready to demonstrate our strength against any malicious forces, and let Iran not forget this. The terrorist act they committed, along with all other dirty factors, is an example of great ingratitude."
Azerbaijan consistently adheres to the principles of good neighborliness, openness, and cooperation, posing no threat to Iran or other states, and is ready to provide assistance to those in need—both in word and deed. The contrast between Baku's honest and open policy and Tehran's cynical actions vividly reveals the true intentions behind what is happening. The drone attack on Nakhchivan Airport was not a random incident—it was a clearly calculated military provocation. The Iranian regime is well aware that air communication is currently the only link between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. By disabling this strategic facility, it sought to completely sever this connection and thereby create a critical vulnerability for our country. Incidentally, a similar method of destabilization was actively used by Armenia in the 1990s, and now Iran is adopting this example. This step, aimed at demonstrating strength and exerting pressure on Azerbaijan, is part of Tehran's long-term policy, which includes anti-Azerbaijani propaganda, slanderous campaigns, and even threats. The use of such destabilizing methods shows that Iran deliberately employs provocative approaches to increase strategic pressure and test Baku's readiness to respond to threats.
Such actions only confirm that, while declaring respect for neighbors and the principles of Islamic solidarity, the Iranian regime in practice disregards these values, resorting to methods of political pressure and threats. However, this line of behavior cannot change the fundamental reality—Azerbaijan possesses sufficient political, diplomatic, and military potential to protect its national interests and ensure the security of its territory and citizens.
Baku's response to the latest provocation was crystal clear and served as a strong signal—any attempts at pressure or threats against Azerbaijan will not only fail to achieve their goal but will inevitably meet with a decisive and immediate response.
Author: Farida Bagirova
