Azerbaijan issued Tuesday a travel warning for its citizens planning to visit Iran citing an "unstable situation" and the recent "terrorist attack" on its diplomatic mission in Tehran.
"Due to the unstable situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the terrorist attack against the diplomatic mission of our country, the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan are advised not to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran unless necessary," said a statement by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
The statement also said those who visit Iran are advised to exercise increased caution.
"Citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan who are currently in the Islamic Republic of Iran are advised to observe safety and security rules," it further said.
On Friday, a gunman, wielding a Kalashnikov-like rifle, barged inside the Azerbaijani Embassy premises in Tehran and opened fire, killing the security chief of the embassy and injuring two guards. The armed attack drew strong condemnation worldwide.
On Sunday, Baku evacuated 53 people, including diplomats working at the embassy and their family members.
The Azerbaijani government also said it does not believe Iran can be trusted with security for its embassy in Tehran.
Baku suspended embassy operations in Tehran, noting that it had repeatedly told Iranian authorities about threats to its mission in the Iranian capital, which it said Tehran ignored.
"Suspension of diplomatic mission's operations in any country is a serious matter," Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov said in a statement published by Azertac, the state-run media agency.
"We let the Iranian side know that we do not trust Iran with respect to ensuring security of our embassy's employees."
Khalafov said his government had repeatedly warned the Iranian government of security threats and demanded tighter security, but the attack "showed once more that Iran's reaction to our demand was irresponsible."
Iranian media talked about the attacker having a personal motive, but Azerbaijan rejected this, calling it a diversionary tactic.
Relations between the two countries, which share a border, have been strained for years. The leadership in Tehran accuses the neighboring country of cooperating with the West and its arch-enemy Israel.
Like Russia, Iran maintains good relations with Armenia, which lost a war against its neighbor Azerbaijan in 2020.
