Azerbaijani MFA confirms execution of embassy attacker in Tehran

Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Aykhan Hajizada has said that Yasin Huseynzadeh, sentenced to death for the attack on Azerbaijan’s embassy in Iran, was executed.

"The death sentence issued on January 28, 2024 against Yasin Huseynzadeh, who committed a terrorist attack against the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Islamic Republic of Iran on January 27, 2023, killing one Embassy employee and wounding two others, was executed on May 21, 2025 at 5 a.m. [GMT+3:30]. The execution process was observed by two employees of our Embassy and a lawyer appointed by the Azerbaijani side during the trial," Hajizada said, Caliber.Az reports. 

"Ensuring the harshest punishment for the individual who committed this terrorist act was among Azerbaijan’s primary expectations from the Iranian side. In accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the host country’s responsibility to ensure the security of our diplomatic missions and to take appropriate measures to prevent such acts remains of utmost importance. We consider it essential to continue joint efforts towards the development of Azerbaijan-Iran relations based on mutual respect and good neighborliness,” he added.  

On January 27, 2023, there was an armed attack on the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The assailant destroyed the security post with a Kalashnikov automatic weapon and killed the head of the security service, Orkhan Asgarov. Two employees of the embassy's security service - Vasif Taghiyev and Mahir Imanov - were injured while preventing the attack. Asgarov was buried in Second Martyrs Alley.

On February 3, 2023, by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Asgarov (posthumously) was awarded the "For the Fatherland" medal. Taghiyev was awarded with the 1st class "Rashadat" order, while Imanov was awarded with the "For the Fatherland" medal. Yasin Huseynzade, who committed the terrorist act, was detained. 

After the incident, the activities of the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran were suspended. Employees of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Iran were evacuated from Tehran to Baku on January 29, 2023. A total of 53 people, consisting of embassy employees and their family members, returned to their homeland. On February 5, 2024, the perpetrator of the attack was sentenced to death, according to reports by the Iranian Justice Ministry.

By Naila Huseynova