BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 7. The drone attacks on
the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic carried out by Iran on March 5
targeted civilian infrastructure rather than military sites,
striking the Nakhchivan International Airport and an area near a
school, injuring four civilians, political analyst Azer Garayev
told Trend.
The analyst pointed out that the attacks lay bare the real
essence of Iran’s regional strategies and showcase the two-faced
and antagonistic nature of the Iranian regime.
"On the same day, the Security Council convened under the
chairmanship of Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of
Azerbaijan. The head of state unequivocally classified the incident
as a terrorist act. In his address, President Ilham Aliyev stated:
'Today, a terrorist act was committed by Iran against the
territory of Azerbaijan and the state of Azerbaijan. The territory
of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic came under fire from unmanned
aerial vehicles launched by the Iranian state. The targets of the
attack were civilian facilities, including the Nakhchivan
International Airport and its terminal building, a school, and
other civilian sites, all treacherously struck by Iran,'
These words fully capture the gravity of the incident, as the
strikes in Nakhchivan were deliberately aimed at civilian
infrastructure, a blatant violation of international law,
humanitarian norms, and basic human values," he said.
Garayev highlighted that Iran's decision to target Nakhchivan
was not a matter of chance.
"The mullah regime is well aware that land connections between
mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic have
long been restricted. As a result, the region is primarily
connected to the rest of the country by air. By targeting the
Nakhchivan airport, Iran has effectively attempted to sever this
link. This tactic is not new to the region. In the 1990s, Armenia
employed a similar method in an attempt to blockade Nakhchivan.
Iran’s repetition of this strategy cannot be ignored and exposes
the hypocrisy of its claims regarding regional stability and
cooperation," he added.
The analyst also pointed out that right after the drone attack,
the spotlight was on the orchestrated maneuvers in the information
realm, featuring the dissemination of falsehoods and efforts to
twist the truth about the incident.
"Immediately following the incident, a wave of coordinated
disinformation began circulating across the information spaces of
Iran, Armenia, and, to some extent, Russia. False reports that
distorted the nature of the attack and sought to shift
responsibility were widely shared on social networks, particularly
on Telegram and X channels, as well as on certain media outlets.
The primary goal of this campaign was to obscure the facts of the
attack and mislead international public opinion. On some platforms,
claims falsely attributed the strikes to “unknown forces,” while
others outright denied any Iranian involvement. Another stream of
disinformation attempted to distort the incident further, promoting
baseless assertions that Azerbaijan was allegedly “exaggerating”
the situation.
Such information manipulation is far from accidental. In modern
conflicts, large-scale information warfare often runs parallel to
military operations. The aggressor employs these tactics to
influence international perception, evade accountability, and
minimize the political repercussions of its actions. The
coordinated spread of misleading content after the Nakhchivan
attack clearly illustrates this strategy. Many of these campaigns
also aimed to create confusion within Azerbaijani society,
manipulate public opinion, and cast doubt on the real causes of the
incident. However, timely statements from official authorities,
factual reporting from the scene, and supporting evidence quickly
exposed these manipulations. This episode once again underscores
that, in times of regional tension, threats to information security
are just as critical as military ones," he said.
Garayev highlighted that Azerbaijan has maintained a steady and
responsible stance in the face of ongoing regional tensions. The
nation has consistently upheld its commitment to not permit its
territory to be utilized against other states, a principle that has
been reiterated through various official statements.
"President Ilham Aliyev also emphasized this stance during the
Security Council meeting, stating: 'On numerous occasions,
particularly following last year’s clashes, we informed the Iranian
side that Azerbaijan’s territory would not be used against any
neighboring state. We will not allow this, and we have never
allowed it. ' This position has remained consistent for many years.
Baku has consistently demonstrated that it is a champion of
cooperation, not confrontation, in the region. Yet, despite this,
the Iranian side has persistently leveled groundless accusations
against Azerbaijan and taken provocative actions," the analyst
said.
Garayev pointed out that one of the most striking features of
the Nakhchivan attack is the backdrop of earlier happenings.
"Very few heads of state in the world have taken an official
step regarding the death of Iran's supreme religious leader.
President Ilham Aliyev personally went to the Iranian embassy in
Azerbaijan to offer condolences. This step represents one of the
rare gestures in international diplomacy. The head of state did
this not merely as part of diplomatic protocol, but as a sign of
respect for neighborly relations. He also stated that Azerbaijan is
ready to provide assistance in other matters where Iran may face
difficulties. President Ilham Aliyev said in his speech: 'I
demonstrated my position by personally visiting their embassy to
offer condolences—no other head of state has visited an Iranian
embassy elsewhere for this purpose.' This fact once again
demonstrates that Azerbaijan pursues a sincere and open policy in
its relations. However, Iran's response to this was a drone strike
against civilian objects," the political scientist said.
According to him, Azerbaijan did not limit itself to diplomatic
gestures alone. As President Ilham Aliyev noted in his speech, Baku
also agreed to assist in the evacuation of Iranian diplomatic staff
remaining in Lebanon.
"The head of state recalled this episode as follows: 'I must
also inform you that this morning, the Deputy Foreign Minister of
Iran called Baku, requesting Azerbaijan’s assistance in evacuating
Iranian embassy personnel remaining in Lebanon due to a lack of
resources. I was briefed and immediately instructed that assistance
be provided, with an aircraft dispatched. They even offered to
cover the costs, which I declined - if we do not help in times of
difficulty, when should we help?' These words clearly demonstrate
Azerbaijan's policy, which is based on humanitarian principles and
good-neighborly relations. However, at the same time, they also
reveal the contradiction between Iran's behavior and this policy,"
he said.
Garayev noted that Iran's hostile position toward Azerbaijan is
not limited to recent events.
"Some time ago, the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran was also
subjected to a terrorist attack. An armed man entered the embassy
and opened fire on Azerbaijani citizens. As a result of the
incident, one person lost his life, and another was seriously
injured. What drew particular attention was that, despite the
prolonged nature of the attack, Iranian security forces did not
immediately intervene. This fact naturally raised serious questions
within Azerbaijani society. President Ilham Aliyev, recalling this
incident in his speech, said: 'At that time, we had no doubt that
the Iranian state was behind the attack.' This incident caused
serious tension in relations between the two countries, and the
activities of the Azerbaijani embassy were suspended," he said.
The analyst pointed out that the seeds of Iran's stance on
Azerbaijan were sown long before, tracing back to the days of the
Karabakh conflict.
"Although Iran officially claimed neutrality during the nearly
30-year occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia, the facts
suggested a different reality. There was extensive information
about construction materials from destroyed cities and villages in
the occupied territories being exported to Iran. The dismantling
and sale of stones and other building materials from those areas
became widely discussed at the time. In addition, Armenia
maintained close economic and logistical relations with Iran. These
ties created an imbalance in the region. Iran's behavior during the
44-day Patriotic War in 2020 also caused serious dissatisfaction in
Azerbaijan. Reports circulated about fuel and other resources being
sent to Armenia during the war. At the same time, Iranian officials
made statements about "red lines" and criticized Azerbaijan
regarding developments in the region. Such remarks raised serious
concerns at a time when Azerbaijan was restoring its territorial
integrity," he said.
Garayev pointed out that even with all these changes, Azerbaijan
remains steadfast in its role as a champion of stability in the
region, while also having all the tools at its disposal to
safeguard its security.
"President Ilham Aliyev clearly emphasized this in his speech:
'We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression
against Azerbaijan.' This statement reflects Azerbaijan's firm and
uncompromising position on national security issues. The
Azerbaijani state has repeatedly demonstrated its readiness to take
all necessary measures to protect the safety of civilians. The
drone attack on Nakhchivan can be seen as a new stage in Iran's
policy toward Azerbaijan. This incident once again highlighted the
serious contradiction between official Tehran's statements about
peace and cooperation in the region and its actual actions.
Azerbaijan, despite all the difficulties, remains committed to
international law and the principles of good neighborliness.
President Ilham Aliyev's visit to the embassy to express
condolences and demonstrate sincerity in diplomatic relations is a
clear example of this. However, steps such as attacks on civilian
infrastructure undermine trust in the region and seriously damage
relations. History shows that Azerbaijan has always been and will
continue to be determined to protect its security and sovereignty,"
the analyst concluded.
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