Guard at Azerbaijan’s embassy in Iran killed

Suspect arrested, gunman’s motive not known; Azerbaijan to evacuate mission

Agunman opened fire at Azerbaijan’s embassy in Iran killing its security chief and wounding two people, police said on yesterday, in an attack Baku has called an “act of terrorism”.

“The attacker broke through the guard post, killing the head of security with a Kalashnikov assault rifle,” Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said. Azerbaijan said it will evacuate its embassy in Iran, accusing Tehran of not taking threats made against its diplomatic mission seriously. The move comes amid monthslong tensions between the neighbouring nations.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry made the announcement in a statement. “There have been attempts to threaten our diplomatic mission in Iran before, and measures to prevent such situations and to ensure the safety of our diplomatic missions have been constantly raised before Iran,” the ministry said. “Unfortunately, the last bloody terrorist attack demonstrates the serious consequences of not showing proper sensitivity to our urgent appeals in this direction.”

Firing through a door

Video posted on social media appeared to show a gunman run past a guard post and force his way into the embassy building, firing through a door.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani “strongly condemned” the attack, according to state TV, saying the issue was under investigation. Police in Tehran said they had arrested a suspect and are investigating the gunman’s motive. The superintendent of criminal affairs in Tehran, Judge Mohammad Shahriari, said the attacker’s motive was personal, according to the Tasnim news agency. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said yesterday that the attack was “an act of terrorism” and demanded swift punishment.