Baku protests against Iranian military aircraft flying over border Azerbaijani MFA, MoD issue joint statement

A military aircraft belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran made a non-stop flight along the Azerbaijan-Iran state border from the direction of Zangilan district to Bilasuvar district and backwards on March 11, 2023, from 09:44 to 10:26 (GMT+4).

The plane flew between the two countries at a distance of 3-5 km from the state border, and in some cases over the state border, Caliber.Az reports citing a joint statement made by the Azerbaijani foreign ministry and defence ministry.

"Contrary to the internationally accepted practice of warning the neighbouring country in advance about approaching military aircraft to the state border, such a close proximity of a military aircraft of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the state border between the two countries and flying over the border line threatens the safety of civil aviation, and further deteriorates the bilateral relations.

The flight of a military aircraft for more than half an hour near the liberated territories of Azerbaijan is a provocation and unfriendly behavior towards Azerbaijan.

We would like to remind that last year the Iranian side also conducted large-scale military exercises along the Araz River near the borders of Azerbaijan.

We strongly condemn the Iranian side for such a provocative step, urge them to provide an appropriate explanation, and refrain from such confrontational steps in the future.

Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Republic of Azerbaijan Seyyed Abbas Mousavi was summoned to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and a corresponding note of protest was delivered on March 11," the statement said.