TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Thursday expressed disappointment over the inappropriate treatment toward Iranian truck drivers and the arrest of two of them by Azeri border guards.

Foreign Minister Abdollahian made the complaint while receiving a copy of credentials from new Republic of Azerbaijan’s new ambassador to Tehran Ali Alizadeh.
 
While wishing the Azeri envoy success during his mission in Tehran and underlining the importance of relations between Tehran and Baku, Abdollahian also described as “surprising” and “regrettable” the recent negative comments by Azerbaijan Republic’s officials.

The Iranian foreign minister also said military drills by any country within its territory are a sovereign right, an open reference to the drill by the Iranian Army in northwest Iran.

He also referred to the Zionist regime’s recent movements near Iran’s northwestern borders, saying the Islamic Republic will not tolerate the Zionist regime’s presence along its borders and will take necessary measures against the regime’s activities.

The new Azerbaijani ambassador, for his part, underscored good and deep relations between Azerbaijan and Iran as a dearly and brotherly neighbor. He also expressed hope that the recent issues will be resolved soon through consultations between officials of the two countries.

Khatibzadeh: Military drills are exercising right to sovereignty

Reacting to Azerbaijan’s criticism, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said the Islamic Republic has only been exercising its right to sovereignty by holding the drills, which began on Friday.

Saeed Khatibzadeh called the event “a matter of sovereignty," and underlined that the exercises had taken place towards contribution to “the entire region’s calm and stability.”

Moreover, the Iranian ambassador to Baku, Abbas Mousavi, said the exercises “can’t be seen as a threat to our friends,” and that Azerbaijan had been informed about them months earlier. 

Iran’s Armed Forces regularly hold military maneuvers to elevate their preparedness and military prowess. The drills serve as a warning message to the enemies against any act of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev had accused Iran of sending over trucks to “illegally” cross into the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is a matter of dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Khatibzadeh dismissed any attempt on the part of Iran to undermine others’ territorial integrity or trespass on their recognized borders.

Iran condemns provocative act towards embassy in Baku

The Iranian Ambassador to Baku also strongly condemned the recent provocative acts of some people against the Iranian embassy on Thursday night.

Following the event, four protestors were detained by the diplomatic police as well as the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan.
Mousavi noted that the Iranian embassy will pursue all legal actions to achieve the desired result.