Iran expresses concern to Azerbaijan on Israel presence in country

Iran has expressed concern to Azerbaijan regarding Israel’s alleged presence within the country, amid increasingly bitter relations between Tehran and Baku.

In a meeting in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Sunday, Kamal Kharrazi, a senior foreign policy advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, talked with Azerbaijan’s presidential assistant, Hikmet Hajiyev, on the enhancement of cooperation and mutual visits between “scientific research centres and socio-political opinion leaders” from both countries.

During those talks, Kharrazi reportedly raised the topic of the alleged growing influence of Israel within Azerbaijan, telling Hajiyev that “countries should take their neighbours’ sensitivities into consideration”.

The comments come at a time when relations between Tehran and Baku continue to deteriorate amid ongoing diplomatic and security tensions over the past few years, with one factor being Iranian authorities’ accusations of Azerbaijan’s ties with Israel.

Earlier last month, Azerbaijani security services reported that they foiled a plot to assassinate a prominent local Jewish figure for $200,000. They arrested two suspects, who officials alleged acted “under the guidance of a foreign country”, without directly mentioning Iran.

That same month, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry summoned the chargé d’Affaires at Iran’s Embassy in Baku to protest against alleged anti-Azerbaijan content in Iranian media.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also condemned remarks by Iranian cleric, Seyyed Hassan Ameli, who accused Azerbaijan of collaborating with Israel and said Aliyev’s policies are part of a “multi-billion-dollar gamble with the Israelis”.

Why are relations between Azerbaijan and Israel developing now?