Two civilians were injured Thursday after a pair of Iranian drones crossed the border into Azerbaijan and struck targets in the Nakhchivan exclave, prompting Baku to summon the Iranian ambassador and lodge a formal protest, according to Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry.
One drone hit the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport, located roughly 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Iranian border, while a second landed near a school building in the village of Shakarabad, the ministry said. A source close to the Azerbaijani government told Reuters that a fire broke out as a result of the incident. Video footage shared by the same source showed black smoke rising near the airport and damage to the skylight inside the terminal building.
BREAKING: Explosion seen near Nakhchivan Airport in Azerbaijan amid Iranian attack, no word on casualties. pic.twitter.com/Qp7OxgqOWO
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Baku Demands Explanation, Reserves Right to Respond
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry issued a sharply worded statement condemning the incident. “This attack on the territory of Azerbaijan contradicts the norms and principles of international law and contributes to increased tensions in the region,” the ministry said.
Baku demanded that Tehran “clarify the matter in the shortest possible time, provide an explanation and take the necessary urgent measures to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.” The ministry also stated that Azerbaijan reserved the right to carry out “appropriate response measures” against Iran.
The Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan was summoned to the foreign ministry, where a formal note of protest was presented to the Iranian side, Baku said.
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is a geographically isolated exclave of Azerbaijan, separated from the country’s mainland and bordered by Iran, Armenia, and Turkey. Its proximity to Iran — the airport sits just 10 kilometers from the border — makes any cross-border incident particularly sensitive.
Sources: Reuters, BBC
