Iran on Thursday said Azerbaijan has denied claims that it allowed Israel to use its airspace to carry out strikes against Iran during the recent 12-day conflict between the two arch-rivals.
According to a statement from the Iranian presidency, the clarification came during a phone call between Iran’s newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Israel launched a wave of coordinated airstrikes on June 13 targeting Iranian military and nuclear facilities, killing several high-ranking scientists and commanders. A ceasefire between the two nations was brokered and came into effect on Tuesday.
During the call, Pezeshkian urged Baku to investigate reports alleging that Israel had used Azerbaijani airspace to conduct “drone and microlight attacks into Iranian skies.” The Iranian statement said President Aliyev dismissed the reports, assuring Tehran that “the Azerbaijani government would not in any way allow its skies to be used against the friendly and brotherly country.”
A readout from the Azerbaijani presidency did not mention the airspace-related allegations, focusing instead on affirming bilateral cooperation and regional stability.
This is not the first time Iran has raised concerns over possible Israeli use of Azerbaijani territory or airspace. At the onset of the war, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov publicly declared that Azerbaijan “will never allow its territory to be used for attacks on third countries, including friendly Iran.”
The relationship between the two neighbors has been historically complex. Iran has long been wary of Azerbaijan’s close military ties with Israel, a key arms supplier to Baku, especially in the aftermath of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Thursday’s diplomatic exchange appears aimed at easing regional tensions as Iran and Israel adjust to a fragile post-ceasefire environment amid ongoing concerns about regional alignments and airspace security.
Written By Rodney Mbua
