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Baku Warns Citizens Against Traveling to Iran Amidst Growing Tensions
In a recent development, the Azerbaijani government has once again cautioned its citizens against traveling to Iran due to the perceived instability in the country. This warning comes after an attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran in January, which Baku blamed on the “unstable situation in the Islamic republic.”
The relationship between Azerbaijan and Iran has been growing increasingly strained in recent years. Iran has expressed anger over Azerbaijan’s warm ties with its archenemy, Israel. These ties have been highlighted by defense deals, the opening of an embassy in Tel Aviv, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Azerbaijan last month.
Iran does not officially recognize Israel and has accused the country of causing unrest and sabotage within Iran’s borders. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani tweeted, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has warned against the travel of its citizens to Iran! This is the same policy that the president of the fake, child-killing, and occupying Zionist regime took during his recent trip to Baku.”
The relationship between Azerbaijan and Iran has been complicated since Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Tensions further escalated when Azerbaijan reclaimed territory along Iran’s border during the 2020 war with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. While Iran initially supported Azerbaijan’s claim to the territory, it strongly opposed Azerbaijan’s plans to build the east-west Zangezur Corridor, which would connect Azerbaijan to its Naxcivan exclave and provide a trade route to Turkey and beyond.
Iran sees the Zangezur Corridor as a threat to its own economic and political interests, as it weakens Iran’s importance and strengthens Azerbaijan’s position. The completion of the corridor would allow Azerbaijan to bypass Iranian territory and airspace for resupplying Naxcivan. This prospect has been a significant bone of contention between the two countries.
Iran has been working to exert its influence in Azerbaijan, considering it a backyard for the expansion of its brand of Shi’ism. Iran is also concerned about the influence Azerbaijan’s growing ties with Israel will have on Iran’s large ethnic Azeri population. The loss of influence in Azerbaijan could potentially lead to unrest among the Azeri population within Iran.
The tension reached a turning point with the attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran in January, which Azerbaijan attributed to the Iranian secret service. In subsequent months, both countries have detained individuals on suspicion of spying and orchestrating attacks. Diplomatic relations have become strained, with Iran expressing its disapproval of Azerbaijan’s relations with Israel.
As the feud between Azerbaijan and Iran continues, the warning against traveling to Iran serves as a reminder of the growing tensions between the two neighboring countries. Citizens are urged to exercise caution and stay informed about the situation before making any travel plans to Iran.
