Four residents were injured in drone attacks near an airport and a school in Nakhchivan, an exclave of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan said the attack came from Iran and warned of retaliation, but Iran immediately denied it.
On the 5th, according to AP, AFP, and Reuters, Azerbaijani authorities said four drones were launched from Iran and attacked Nakhchivan. One drone crashed into a Nakhchivan airport building and exploded, and another fell near a school. Another was shot down by Azerbaijani forces, and the remaining one reportedly attacked civilian infrastructure.
Azerbaijan's Health Ministry said four people injured in the attack were taken to a hospital and were in stable condition. Azerbaijani authorities said they were investigating the types of drones used.
President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan convened a security council meeting and said, "Today, a terrorist act targeting Azerbaijani territory was carried out from the Iranian side," adding, "We will not tolerate unjustified attacks and terrorist acts, and I have instructed the military to prepare and carry out appropriate retaliatory measures." He also said, "We are ready to show our strength against any enemy."
Nakhchivan is an exclave separated from mainland Azerbaijan by Armenia and borders Iran. Nakhchivan Airport is reported to be about 10 kilometers from the Iranian border.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador in Baku immediately after the incident to lodge a protest. In a statement, the ministry condemned, "This attack on Azerbaijani territory violates international legal norms and principles and escalates regional tensions," and demanded that Iran promptly provide a clear explanation and take measures to prevent a recurrence. It added that Azerbaijan has the right to take "appropriate countermeasures."
Iran denied the attack. The Iranian Armed Forces General Staff said, "We did not launch drones toward Azerbaijan," and claimed, "The behavior of the Zionist regime (Israel), which seeks to disrupt relations among Muslim countries, is nothing new." Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also told an Azerbaijani outlet, "We do not attack neighboring countries."
Azerbaijan is a producer of oil and natural gas, exporting oil to Türkiye and Europe through a pipeline that runs from the capital, Baku, through Georgia to Türkiye. Israel is also said to receive a significant portion of its oil imports via this route. Experts say the pipeline could be a potential target for Iran, and noted that above-ground facilities such as terminals and pumping stations may be more vulnerable to drone attacks than the underground pipeline itself.
Türkiye's Foreign Ministry said that day, "Attacks targeting third countries in the region increase the risk of war spreading and must stop immediately." Reuters reported that tensions with Iran have risen as Azerbaijan has recently strengthened economic and military ties with Israel and Türkiye, a NATO member. AP reported that the number of ethnic Azerbaijanis in Iran is estimated at more than 10 million, and that Iran has historically been sensitive to separatist movements.