Tensions rise between Iran and Azerbaijan
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visiting Moscow on October 6, 2021. REUTERS - POOL
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Tehran blames its neighbor, Azerbaijan, for growing cooperation with Israel, sparking tensions in the region.
The Islamic Republic carried out military maneuvers on its border.
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"
We will certainly not tolerate geopolitical shifts and map changes in the Caucasus and we are very worried about the presence of terrorists and Zionists in this region,
" said visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. in Moscow, Wednesday October 6.
Traditionally good relations between Azerbaijan and Iran have been experiencing tensions since last week amid growing ties between Baku and Israel, Tehran's nemesis and one of the army's main arms suppliers. Azerbaijani.
Tehran also accuses Azerbaijan of having authorized the presence on its territory of Israeli soldiers on the border with Iran, while the Islamic Republic was carrying out maneuvers there.
Azerbaijan denies accusations
Baku rejected the accusations on Monday, denying any Israeli presence at the border during the exercises launched by Iran on Friday and which had been criticized by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev.
The Azerbaijani head of state assured Tuesday that
Tehran's “
unfounded
”
accusations “
will not go unanswered
”.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian defended these military exercises in Tehran on Wednesday in Moscow, stressing that they were being carried out "
inside Iranian territory
".
He also recalled that Azerbaijan had also carried out maneuvers "
with different countries
" on its territory, which he described as "
provocation
".
"
The multiplication of these exercises does not inspire good emotions in the region,
" he added.
Border taxes
Relations between Iran and Azerbaijan, two Muslim countries, have recently been weighed down by these military exercises on both sides, but also by Baku's decision to impose customs taxes on Iranian trucks in transit.
Another sign of the worsening of tensions, Baku on Tuesday closed a mosque linked to the Iranian Supreme Leader, officially due to the increase in Covid-19 cases in the country.
The Azerbaijani airline also started using the airspace of neighboring and rival Armenian on Wednesday, amid reports of Iranian airspace being closed to Azerbaijani army planes the day before.
Flights passing through Armenian airspace will serve to serve the Azerbaijani enclave of Nakhichevan, nestled between Armenia and Iran, according to a statement from the airline AZAL.
(
with
AFP
)
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