Iran executes man responsible for Azerbaijan embassy attack

The shooting, which took place in January 2023 and led to the killing of the Azeri embassy security chief, brought relations between Tehran and Baku to a new low

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev shakes hands with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during a meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan April 28, 2025. Official website of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan/Handout via REUTERS

Reuters

Published : 21 May 2025, 02:44 PM

Updated : 21 May 2025, 02:44 PM

A man convicted of a fatal shooting at Azerbaijan's embassy in the Iranian capital, Tehran, was executed on Wednesday, Iran's judiciary news outlet Mizan said.

The January 2023 shooting, in which the Azeri embassy security chief was killed, brought relations between Tehran and Baku to a new low, with Azerbaijan branding the shooting an "act of terrorism".

Iranian judicial authorities ruled the attack was for "personal reasons," Mizan reported.

"I thought my wife was at Azerbaijan's embassy in Tehran and was not willing to meet with me. I decided to go there with a Kalashnikov rifle," the defendant said during his trial, according to Mizan.

In a statement on Wednesday, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said that it had expected the Iranian side to carry out the "harshest punishment" for the attack. It said the execution was witnessed by two embassy employees.

The neighbours have had tense relations, with Baku accusing Tehran of discriminating against its large ethnic Azeri minority and Iran voicing concerns regarding Azerbaijan's ties with its arch-rival Israel, as well as potential border changes following a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian travelled to Baku last month, where he said Tehran hoped to resolve all issues jointly and to strengthen bilateral relations.