Azerbaijan sent humanitarian aid to Iran on Tuesday in an apparent gesture of de-escalation, days after Iranian drone strikes on the Nakhchivan exclave raised fears of the regional conflict spreading to the Caucasus.
Under the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, the Ministry of Emergency Situations dispatched 10 tonnes of flour, six tonnes of rice, 2.4 tonnes of sugar, more than four tonnes of drinking water, around 600 kilogrammes of tea, and approximately two tonnes of medicines and medical supplies.
The ministry said the aid was sent following a telephone call on 8 March between Aliyev and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The move came after Iranian drones struck an airport and exploded near a school in Nakhchivan last week, wounding four people.
Baku, a close partner of Israel, accused Tehran of “terrorism.” Aliyev ordered the armed forces to prepare retaliatory measures and placed them on their highest level of readiness, while diplomats were withdrawn from the country.
Iran’s military denied launching the drones and accused Israel — Azerbaijan’s key arms supplier — of staging a provocation.
Aliyev’s office said Pezeshkian had called on Sunday and promised to investigate the drone strike, insisting it “had nothing to do with Iran.”
Aliyev emphasised the importance of investigating the incident, and the two leaders exchanged views on the prospects for developing joint economic projects, according to the statement.
Iran has long accused Israel of using Azerbaijani territory for operations against it. In June 2025, Baku assured Tehran it would not allow its territory to be used for attacks on Iran, following a large-scale Israeli strike on Iranian targets.
Tehran has also historically been wary of separatist sentiment among the approximately 10 million ethnic Azeris living in Iran.
(with information from CNA)
