ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Azerbaijan has reopened its embassy in the Iranian capital more than a year after it halted working in Tehran following a deadly attack. “Following the negotiations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, on 15 July 2024, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Islamic Republic of Iran resumed its work at a new address. The Ambassador and the current diplomatic staff have returned to Iran,” read the statement from Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. In January 2023, a gunman stormed the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran, killing its security chief and wounding two guards. The gunman quickly was detained by Iranian security forces. After investigating, Tehran said that the motive was “personal and family-related problems.” The Azerbaijani foreign ministry at the time blamed Iran for the incident saying they had repeatedly raised their concerns to Iranian authorities to no avail. Doors to the embassy were closed days afterwards. The ministry said on Monday that Tehran has taken the appropriate measures to ensure the new embassy’s security, adding that the resumption of the diplomatic mission will contribute to enhancing Iran-Azerbaijan bilateral relations. Iranian government spokesperson Ali Bahadori Jahromi described the reopening of the embassy as “the fruit of the result-oriented diplomacy" of late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the efforts of the Iranian foreign ministry. Tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan have been high for years due to the latter’s strong ties to Israel and continued conflict with neighboring Armenia.
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