The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Iran was attacked by unidentified assailants on Friday morning. Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that one person died and two others were injured in the incident. The first footage of the attack was captured on a surveillance camera.
“On January 27 (…) an armed attack was carried out on the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Iran. A Kalashnikov-wielding man killed the head of the guard of the diplomatic mission,” reads a press release from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Agerpres reported, citing AFP.
Two other consular guards were injured and are in “satisfactory condition”.
The first images of the embassy attack captured by surveillance cameras have also emerged. In the video, a gunman entered the embassy compound and opened fire on two running men. The attacker is attacked from behind by a third man who tries to disarm him.
The investigation is ongoing, the ministry added without further details.
Iran, home to millions of Azerbaijanis, has long been accused by neighboring Iran of stoking separatist sentiment on its soil.
Relations between Baku and Tehran have traditionally been cordial, with Turkic-speaking Azerbaijan a close ally of Turkey and a historical rival of Iran.
Tehran also fears that Azeri territory could be used for an attack against it by Israel, Baku’s main arms supplier.
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