Azerbaijan Warns of Response after Iranian Drone Crashes in Nakhchivan Airport

Azerbaijan has warned it will respond to Iran after drones believed to have come from Iranian territory crashed in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on Thursday.

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the incident occurred at about 12:00 local time (08:00 GMT). One drone struck the terminal building of Nakhchivan airport, while another fell near a school in the village of Shakarabad.

Authorities said the incident injured civilians and caused damage to the airport facility. Earlier statements from Azerbaijan’s defense authorities reported that four people were injured.

“We strongly condemn these drone attacks launched from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said Azerbaijan has demanded a clarification from Tehran and summoned Iranian Ambassador Mojtaba Demirchilou over the incident, adding the country “reserves the right to take appropriate response measures.”

Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry also warned that retaliatory steps are being prepared.

“The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense is preparing retaliatory measures to protect the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty, ensure the safety of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and any attacks by Iran will not go unanswered,” the ministry said.

Turkey’s Ministry of National Defence also claimed a ballistic missile fired from Iran toward Turkish airspace was destroyed by NATO air and missile defence systems over the eastern Mediterranean after passing Syria and Iraq. Iran’s armed forces later denied firing missiles toward Turkish territory.

Azerbaijan raises military readiness, deploys troops to Iran border

Azerbaijan has placed its army on heightened combat readiness and deployed troops to the border with Iran, according to OC Media. Air defense systems, including counter-drone units, have also been reinforced along the border.

All leave for military personnel has been canceled, and those already on leave have been recalled, the report said.

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense has not confirmed the reports.