- Swift action by Azerbaijan’s security forces prevents attacks in Baku and protects regional energy routes, highlighting Baku’s commitment to stability and international security.
Baku – Azerbaijan’s security authorities announced on Friday that they successfully thwarted a series of planned terror attacks allegedly organized by Iran, targeting key diplomatic, religious and energy infrastructure across the country.
According to Azerbaijan’s State Security Service, the disrupted plot included planned attacks on the Israeli Embassy in Baku, a synagogue, and prominent leaders of the country’s Jewish community. Authorities also revealed that strategic infrastructure, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline—an important energy corridor linking Azerbaijan to international markets—was among the intended targets.
In a video statement, the State Security Service said it had “prevented terrorist acts and intelligence operations in Azerbaijan organized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).” Azerbaijani security agencies detained at least seven individuals suspected of involvement in the plot.
The swift operation underscores Azerbaijan’s strong commitment to protecting diplomatic missions, religious communities, and critical infrastructure within its territory. Azerbaijan is home to a long-standing Jewish community estimated at around 7,000 to 10,000 people, and the government has consistently emphasized its policy of religious tolerance and protection of minority communities.
The announcement came amid heightened regional tensions following an earlier incident in which Azerbaijan accused Iran of launching drones toward its border region. Azerbaijani officials reported that several drones crossed from Iranian territory into the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, with one striking the airport terminal and another exploding near a school building. Four people were reported injured in the incident.
President Ilham Aliyev strongly condemned the attack, describing it as an act of terrorism and warning that Azerbaijan would defend its sovereignty and security.
Iran’s military authorities denied responsibility for the drone incident and suggested that other actors could be involved. Tehran has not yet publicly commented on Azerbaijan’s allegations regarding the foiled terror plots.
Amid the escalating tensions, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov announced that Baku has begun withdrawing diplomatic staff from Iran, including personnel from its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Tabriz, as a precautionary measure.
Azerbaijan has long maintained close security cooperation with international partners and has emphasized that its territory will not be used by any country to launch attacks against others. At the same time, Azerbaijani authorities reaffirmed their determination to safeguard national security, maintain regional stability, and ensure the safety of diplomatic missions and communities within the country.
BY: The Times Union
