Azerbaijan has accused Iran of launching a 'terrorist' drone attack that struck an airport and injured four civilians, raising fears that the conflict between Iran and US-Israel could spread beyond the Middle East. The Azerbaijani defence ministry said Iran fired four drones, one hitting the terminal at Nakhchivan airport, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran, and another falling near a school in a nearby village.
President Ilham Aliyev announced he had instructed the military to 'prepare and implement response measures', stating: 'We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan.' He demanded an official explanation, an apology, and criminal accountability from Iran, adding that his country had not and would not participate in any operations against Iran.
Iran denied any involvement. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said: 'The Islamic Republic of Iran has not targeted the Republic of Azerbaijan. We do not target our neighbouring countries.' Social media footage appeared to show a drone striking the airport before a fire broke out.
Analysts noted the timing was notable: a day earlier, Aliyev had visited the Iranian embassy in Baku to offer condolences over the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes. Baku has recently strengthened ties with Israel and the US while moving away from Russia, and growing military cooperation with Israel has caused friction with Tehran, though both nations are majority Shia Muslim.
The incident could heighten tensions in the Caucasus, where Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia have all declared neutrality. It also threatens global air travel, as Azerbaijan's airspace is a key corridor for flights between Asia and Europe avoiding Russia. Possible Iranian targets could include the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which supplies about 30-40% of Israel's oil imports.
