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The international community has condemned Iran’s drone strikes on Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan on Thursday, as tensions between the two neighbours continue to escalate following the attack.
Several Gulf states and European countries have spoken out against the attacks, warning they risk further destabilisation of an already volatile region.
Qatar described the incident as an “act of hostility” that threatens regional stability, while Saudi Arabia called the attack an “unjustifiable hostile stance” and expressed solidarity with Baku.
Kuwait also condemned the strikes, describing them as a violation of international law and the UN Charter.
A number of European countries have also criticised the attack, including France, despite recent tensions between Paris and Baku.
Lithuania and other EU states expressed solidarity with Azerbaijan, warning that the incident risks widening the conflict.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also slammed the drone strikes, saying the attack demonstrated that Iran represents a threat both regionally and globally.
Four civilians were injured in the attack on Thursday, with one drone landing close to a village school, while another struck the terminal of Nakhchivan International Airport.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev accused Tehran of committing an “act of terror”, warning that any future attacks on Azerbaijani territory would face the country’s “Iron Fist”.
Speaking after the strike, Aliyev said Azerbaijan had recently helped evacuate Iranian diplomats from the country due to rising tensions in the region — only for the drone attack to occur hours later.
“We helped Iranian diplomats to leave safely, yet shortly afterwards our territory was targeted,” Aliyev said, describing the incident as a betrayal and a serious escalation.
Baku says it is continuing to formulate its response to the attack, as the country’s armed forces remain on heightened alert.
Officials confirmed that Azerbaijan has placed its army on “full combat readiness” while assessing further measures. Azerbaijan is also consulting international partners, Baku has said.
Diplomatic staff from Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tehran and the country’s consulate general in Tabriz have also been evacuated, as tensions with Iran deepen.
Authorities have also decided to shut down cross-border traffic with Iran.
Meanwhile, United Nations sources in Baku told Euronews that Azerbaijan helped evacuate some UN personnel and their families from Tehran amidst growing security concerns.
The evacuations took place as regional tensions rose sharply following the drone strikes, and fears grew that the confrontation between Iran and Azerbaijan could escalate further.
Thursday’s incident marked one of the most serious direct attacks on Azerbaijani territory in recent years, raising concerns that the wider conflict involving Iran could spill into other areas in the South Caucasus.
Iran has not accepted responsibility for the attack, which Azerbaijani officials have rejected due to existing evidence proving Tehran’s involvement.