The Iranian regime has declared four Azerbaijani diplomats “persona non grata,” expelling them from the country in retaliation against Azerbaijan for its expulsion of four Iranian diplomats in April.
Tensions between the neighbouring countries have been ongoing since February when Azerbaijan arrested seven people in connection with an Iranian “espionage network” operating inside the country. The arrests followed a shooting attack in which the head of security at the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran was killed and two guards were wounded.
Iranian state news agency IRNA described the move as a “tit-for-tat action,” according to Iran International, adding it was directly connected to Azerbaijan’s expelling of the Iranian diplomats.
Azerbaijan announced the diplomats were being expelled due to recent “provocative actions” soon after it arrested six suspects it described as Iranian agents involved in a coup attempt.
The shooting attack at the Azerbaijani embassy is thought to have been carried out by Iranian agents due to Azerbaijan’s close relations with Israel.
According to Iran International, the Iranian regime also claims that Azerbaijan is letting Israel place intelligence and military personnel in the country in preparation for an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)