Who in Tehran opposes rapprochement with Baku? Caliber.Az debunks "spies" hoax

As Caliber.Az reported the day before, the Iranian news agency Tasnim, citing its sources, published "bombshell" information that "Azerbaijani spies" had allegedly infiltrated Iran and were "planning to carry out subversive operations inside the country, were identified and arrested before they could act". The agency, which reportedly has close ties to the IRGC, also stressed that "the spies are under the control of a single centre in Azerbaijan".

Well, this is rather curious information, given that the neighbouring country regularly publishes reports on the exposure of one or another spy network and the arrest of spies inside Iran, as well as saboteurs on the borders of the state. This is presented as if Iran's nuclear and military facilities and nuclear physicists were of heightened interest to foreign intelligence services. However, the Iranian intelligence services are vigilant and respond to threats on time. And now, by all appearances, Iranian "spymania" has reached Azerbaijan.

Nevertheless, based on verified and reliable sources, Caliber.Az strongly denies this information provided by Tasnim Agency. "It is obvious that certain circles in Iran, seeing the positive dynamics in Iran-Azerbaijan relations, resort to such disinformation and provocative steps," reliable sources told us.

This denial at the same time highlights a deeper problem in the interaction between the two countries, where disinformation and provocation become tools in the hands of certain circles that are opposed to good neighbourly relations with Azerbaijan.

Seeking regional stability, Azerbaijan consistently strives to develop constructive and mutually beneficial relations with all neighbours, including Iran. It is important to stress that Azerbaijan always acts within the framework of international law and respects the sovereignty of all states.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that certain forces in Iran are using disinformation to pressure Azerbaijan. Such actions may produce short-term effects for those who initiated them, but in the long run, they're damaging the general direction of regional relations, confidence-building and cooperation. However, we believe that these attempts will not disturb the positive dynamics in the relations between the two countries, which we have observed recently, especially against the background of the groundbreaking ceremony of the South Araz Corridor - new communication links between the Eastern Zangezur economic region of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through the territory of Iran, which was held on October 6.

Finally, it should be noted that in the age of information overload, it is crucial to approach reports with due scepticism and check facts before drawing conclusions. All the more so when it comes to a false media report aimed at undermining state-to-state relations.