Iran warns Azerbaijan about interpreting Tehran’s "patience" as weakness

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanani has said that no one has the right to misunderstand Iran's policy.

"Iran's policy is based on expanding relations with neighbours, and Azerbaijan is no exception. However, nobody has the right to draw the wrong conclusion from this," Kanani said in his weekly news conference on November 14, according to the Iranian state-run news agency IRNA.

He said that Iran does not act based on emotions, and added that “so no one should interpret Iran's silence and patience as Iran's weakness”.

“Our policy with neighbors is based on maintaining the neighborhood, announcing positions and complaints behind the media is not helpful,” the spokesman said referring to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's recent statements critical of Iran.

On November 10 and 14, Tehran summoned the Azerbaijani envoy over the "anti-Iran" stances adopted by Azerbaijani officials and media. On November 11, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry summoned Iranian Ambassador Seyid Abbas Mousavi, urging Iran to end the anti-Azerbaijan campaign.

During the meeting, the opposite side was informed about the displeasure and concern with the recent anti-Azerbaijan propaganda, the smear campaign, as well as the threatening rhetoric of Iran’s high-ranking political and military leadership, which is not in line with the spirit of the two nations' ties. It was also highlighted that spreading false information and engaging in activities hostile to Azerbaijan in Iran are unacceptable and must stop as soon as possible.

Tensions have been on the rise between Azerbaijan and Iran recently. The two sides staged military drills on the both sides of the borders, Azerbaijan arrested the Iranian-linked spies and terrorists, and in addition, the Azerbaijani president accused Tehran of supporting Yerevan in the Karabakh conflict.