Iran Denies Drone Attack on Azerbaijan, Calls Incident a Provocation

Iran has officially rejected accusations that its armed forces launched drones toward Azerbaijan. The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces issued a statement categorically denying any involvement in the incident, which reportedly involved drones falling on the territory of an airport in Nakhchivan.

The statement emphasized Iran's respect for the sovereignty of all nations, particularly neighboring and Muslim countries. "The Islamic Republic of Iran, respecting the sovereignty of all countries, especially Muslim and neighboring states, refutes the launch of a drone by its armed forces toward the Republic of Azerbaijan," it read.

Iranian military officials framed the event as a deliberate provocation. They stated that an investigation concluded such actions were taken to falsely blame Iran. The General Staff further alleged that similar tactics had been used in the past by Israel with the aim of damaging relations between Muslim nations.

The denial comes after reports from Baku indicated that drones launched from Iranian territory crashed at Nakhchivan airport. According to Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, the incident resulted in damage to an airport building and injuries to several civilians.

Azerbaijan has demanded prompt explanations and a thorough investigation from Tehran, along with measures to prevent future occurrences. The ministry underscored that Azerbaijan reserves the right to take appropriate retaliatory steps in response to the incident.