Yesterday – on March 5, the drone attack carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is assessed as an open provocation against the state sovereignty and national security of Azerbaijan. At the meeting of the Security Council held in this regard, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, strongly condemned the incident, calling it an “act of terror” against the Azerbaijani state, and declared that the Islamic Republic of Iran bears full responsibility.
It has already been recorded as a fact that unmanned aerial vehicles launched from Iranian territory struck the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport and near a school in a residential area, resulting in civilian injuries and significant damage to infrastructure. This fact indicates the violation of several important norms of international law, such as the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity, the protection of civilian objects, and the prohibition of the use of force.
One of the striking points is that a drone attack against civilian infrastructure cannot be explained by military necessity and contradicts the fundamental requirements of international law. Such actions severely undermine the security environment and contribute to increased tension at a sensitive moment when a stable environment of peace and cooperation is forming in the region.
This behavior demonstrated by Iran appears even more egregious in response to Azerbaijan's good-neighborly policy and principled stance shown through political responsibility. Our country has pursued a policy based on the principles of stability and mutual respect in the region for many years. Official Baku has repeatedly stated that the territory of Azerbaijan has never been and will never be used against neighboring states. President Ilham Aliyev also specifically emphasized at the Security Council meeting that Azerbaijan has never participated in any operation against Iran and has no such intention.
Even during the tragic events that recently occurred in the Iranian leadership, the Azerbaijani leadership demonstrated its humanitarian and moral support, and the leader of our country immediately offered condolences regarding the death of Iran's supreme leader, setting a diplomatic example. In this context, the targeting of civilian objects in Nakhchivan is assessed not only as a political provocation but also as an example of open disrespect and hypocrisy towards neighborly relations.
The drone strike on an airport used by civilian citizens is, in fact, an act of a terrorist nature, and the incident is not merely a military incident but also a serious threat directly aimed at state security. This is because, firstly, the target is civilian infrastructure; secondly, the attack is aimed at creating fear and destabilization for political purposes; and finally, as a result, the lives of civilians have been endangered.
In Iran, where millions of Azerbaijanis live, their language rights have been restricted for many years, obstacles have been created for their national and cultural activities, and activists have been persecuted and arrested. Against the backdrop of such a policy, the drone attack against Nakhchivan is also assessed as another manifestation of a systematic policy of pressure against Azerbaijanis in the region.
According to international law, every state has the right to take adequate response measures to protect its territorial integrity and the security of its citizens. President Ilham Aliyev also stated that he has given appropriate preparation instructions to the Azerbaijani Armed Forces and that this provocation will not go unanswered. The head of our state clearly expressed Azerbaijan's position, declaring that state sovereignty will be resolutely protected, the security of civilian citizens will be ensured, and adequate responses will be immediately given to actions that disrupt stability in the region, and stated that the Iranian leadership should apologize for the incident.
It should be noted that the terrorist incident has caused widespread international resonance. Already, friendly and fraternal states, several other European and regional countries, all our neighbors including Russia and even Armenia, and Arab states have expressed their strong condemnation of this act of terror through diplomatic channels.
Considering all this, I hope that the magnificent history of success we have achieved in recent years, the glorious Victory gained in the 44-day Patriotic War, and the increasing political and economic power of our country in the international arena will serve as a lesson to the forces provoking against Azerbaijan.
It is also appropriate to recall that in response to the drone attack on Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan immediately implemented complex measures on political, diplomatic, legal, and military levels. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement regarding the incident, strongly condemning the attack, and submitted an official note of protest to the Iranian side. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces were brought to a state of combat readiness, air defense systems were strengthened, and an additional action plan for the country's security infrastructure was prepared.
In connection with the incident, the law enforcement agencies of Azerbaijan initiated a criminal case on the grounds of terror and war crimes with the aim of identifying the organizers and perpetrators of the attack, legally assessing the violation of international law norms, and creating a legal basis for future appeals to international courts.
These steps, on the one hand, are aimed at defending state sovereignty, and on the other hand, envisage the activation of legal and diplomatic mechanisms against violations of international law.
Ali Huseynli
Member of the Milli Majlis
