In an exclusive interview with AnewZ, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the Islamic Republic is "not targeting neighbouring countries," amid reports of drone strikes on Nakhchivan International Airport on Thursday (5 March).
Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, spoke about the drone attacks on Nakhchivan with his Uzbek counterpart, Bakhtiyor Saidov.
Bayramov described the strikes as a violation of international law that heightens regional tensions and called on Iran to provide clear explanations and take urgent steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The drones launched from Iranian territory that struck Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic injured 4 civillians, according to Sahib Abuzarov, Head of the Emergency Medical Department of the hospital of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
Gharibabadi, who was speaking to AnewZ when reports of the strike broke, reiterated Iran’s policy is to strike only military bases of its adversaries, including the United States and the "Zionist regimes."
“Because we have announced it from the beginning that, if there are any military bases in the region and they are used to attack Iran, we will target them. So that was the policy that we have,” Gharibabadi said.
The Deputy Foreign Minister stated that the incident must be investigated.
Drones were launched from Iranian territory struck Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, the incidents occurred at around midday when drones entered the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic from Iranian territory. One drone struck the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport, while another landed near a school in the village of Shakarabad.
Nakhchivan International Airport lies roughly 10 km (6 miles) from the Iranian border. A source close to the Azerbaijani government told Reuters that missiles and drones had been observed flying from the direction of Iran before falling within the airport grounds.
Increasing tension
“We strongly condemn these drone attacks carried out from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the ministry said, adding that the incident “contradicts the norms and principles of international law and serves to increase tension in the region”.
Azerbaijan demanded that Iran clarify the incident and “take urgent and necessary measures to prevent such cases from recurring”, warning that it “reserves the right to take appropriate retaliatory measures”.
The Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mujtaba Darmichilu, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, where a formal note of protest was presented.
Meanwhile, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic’s Ministry of Education said teachers and students from two schools near the airport were evacuated.
“The evacuation was carried out to ensure the safety of the teaching staff and students,” the ministry said.
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