Uzbekistan expresses concern over drone attacks on Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan

The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan discussed the recent drone attacks targeting Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic during a phone call on March 5.

According to a press release from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov called Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov to discuss the situation, during which concern was expressed over drone attacks launched from the territory of Iran against Nakhchivan.

Bayramov provided the other side with detailed information about the drone attacks. He noted that this attack against the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan constitutes a violation of the norms and principles of international law and contributes to increasing tensions in the region. 

The Azerbaijani side also stressed that Iran must clarify the incident in the near future, provide an explanation, and take the necessary urgent measures to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future. 

On March 5, 2026, at around midday, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iranian territory struck civilian infrastructure in Nakhchivan. One drone hit the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport, while another fell near a school building in the village of Shakarabad, causing damage and injuring two civilians.

The Azerbaijani government has strongly condemned the attacks, describing them as violations of international law and norms, and warned that such acts exacerbate regional instability. In response, the Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mojtaba Demirchilu, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a formal diplomatic protest note was issued.

The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry stressed that the attacks “will not go unanswered” and confirmed that it is preparing measures to protect the country’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and civilian infrastructure. The ministry emphasised that the attacks, which targeted civilian infrastructure without any military necessity, are the responsibility of Iran and are being thoroughly investigated, including the technical specifications of the UAVs involved.