Azerbaijan Reassures Iran: No Use of Its Territory for Attacks

Azerbaijan on Saturday reassured neighbouring Iran that it would not allow its territory to be used for attacks against Tehran, following unprecedented Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. Iran has long expressed concern that Israel -- a close ally of Azerbaijan and a key arms supplier -- could use Azerbaijani territory to stage attacks. "Azerbaijan will never allow its territory to be used for attacks on third countries, including friendly Iran," Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi. In a phone call with Araghchi, Bayramov warned that the "conflict risked engulfing the broader region", and called for " diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation", the Azerbaijani foreign ministry press service told AFP.

The ministry added Azerbaijan had facilitated land transit across its border after Iran closed its airspace in response to the Israeli strikes. The conversation came a day after Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran, killing 78 people, including top army commanders and nuclear scientists, according to Tehran. In response, Iran launched drones and missiles at Israel, killing three people and wounding more than 70 others.