Iran: Azerbaijan evacuates personnel from embassy in Tehran, suspends diplomatic operations at facility Jan. 29 after Jan. 27 shooting incident /update 1

Event

The government of Azerbaijan evacuated its diplomatic personnel from its embassy in Tehran and reportedly suspended all diplomatic operations at the facility Jan. 29. The move came in response to a Jan. 27 shooting attack at the building in which a gunman killed the embassy's chief of security and wounded two others. Shortly after the incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Baku announced plans to evacuate embassy staff and their families due to security concerns. While the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran will not perform any diplomatic activities in the foreseeable future, the country's Consulate General in Tabriz in the East Azerbaijan Province of Iran will likely continue to operate normally.

Context

The Jan. 27 shooting incident targeting the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran is under investigation, and Iranian authorities have arrested the perpetrator. Iranian authorities have attributed the shooting to "personal motivations," while Azerbaijani officials have called it a "terrorist attack." Additionally, Baku asserts that Tehran had failed to take previous threats directed at its embassy seriously.

Relations have been tense between Iran and Azerbaijan due to several diverging interests the two countries are pursuing. While Baku has demonstrated frustration over Iran's close ties with Armenia, Tehran has similarly been suspicious of Azerbaijan's friendly relations with Israel and Turkey.

Advice

Consider contacting Azerbaijan's consulate in Tabriz as an alternate source of consular services.