BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. In a significant
development, 39 Russian citizens have successfully been evacuated
from Iran via the border with Azerbaijan, Trend reports, citing the
Russian Embassy in Baku.


According to the diplomatic mission, an organized crossing of
the state border between Iran and Azerbaijan via the Astara
checkpoint began on March 1, 2026.


"As of this moment, 39 citizens of the Russian Federation have
crossed the border. Staff of the Russian Embassy in Baku, in close
coordination with the Azerbaijani authorities, continue to provide
comprehensive support to our compatriots," the embassy said in a
statement.


Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington
and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S.
increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150
aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East.


The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between
Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the
administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations
were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically.
However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt
uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept
indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its
airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister
Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive.


As a major escalation, it has been alleged that Supreme Leader
Seyyed Ali Khamenei of Iran and multiple members of his family had
been killed in military airstrikes carried out by the United States
and Israel the day before.


Additionally, several of Iran’s most senior military and
security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief
of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme
Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and
Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh.


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