Azerbaijan rejects Iranian envoy’s claims on Israeli drone incursions

Azerbaijan has strongly rejected accusations made by Iran’s Ambassador to Armenia, Mehdi Sobhani, who claimed that Israeli drones had entered Iranian airspace via Azerbaijani territory.

The statement, described by Baku as “baseless and provocative,” was formally rebuffed by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on June 27, Caliber.Az reports.

Aykhan Hajizada, Head of the Press Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, issued a statement condemning the Iranian diplomat’s remarks as an unfounded attempt to damage bilateral ties.

“We categorically reject baseless and provocative claims voiced by Mehdi Sobhani, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Republic of Armenia on alleged use of the territory of Azerbaijan against Iran, namely the incursion of Israeli drones from Azerbaijan,” Hajizada said.

He stressed that such allegations are not only unfounded but also harmful to the trust and principles underpinning Azerbaijani-Iranian relations.

“These claims undermine the relations between Azerbaijan and Iran that is based on mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and non-interference in the domestic affairs,” the statement read.

Hajizada recalled that the Azerbaijani position on these matters had been clearly communicated during recent high-level discussions between President Ilham Aliyev and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, as well as between the two countries’ foreign ministers.

“Against the backdrop of well-explained position by the President of Azerbaijan during the recent phone-call with the Iranian President, as well as by the Minister of Foreign Affairs during his phone-call with his counterpart, we consider the claims of the Iranian Ambassador as an open provocation,” Hajizada said.

Reaffirming Baku’s commitment to peaceful and cooperative regional relations, the Azerbaijani diplomat stressed that the country’s airspace has not been used for hostile purposes.

“The Republic of Azerbaijan categorically refutes allegations that its airspace or territory was used by any state to conduct military operations against the neighboring Islamic Republic of Iran or any other country. Such claims are baseless and lack any credible evidence,” the statement declared.

Hajizada concluded by calling on Tehran to take appropriate action regarding its ambassador’s repeated controversial behaviour.

“We expect Iran to prevent such steps, which are inappropriate to the spirit of our relations, as well as to take necessary steps regarding the opinions voiced by the Ambassador, who regularly demonstrates his pro-Armenian position, rather than represent his country,” he said.

By Vugar Khalilov