One dead after armed attack on Azerbaijan’s embassy in Iran

A guard was killed in an attack on Azerbaijan’s embassy in Iran, the country’s foreign ministry said, adding that it was evacuating its diplomatic staff.

“The attacker broke through the guard post and killed the security chief with a Kalashnikov assault rifle,” it said.

Friday’s attack in Tehran also wounded two guards, the Azerbaijani ministry said. An investigation has been launched.

President Ilham Aliyev called the attack on his country’s embassy a “terrorist act” and demanded a quick investigation.

“We demand that this terrorist act be investigated and the terrorist punished,” Aliyev said in a statement. He added that an attack against a diplomatic mission was “unacceptable”.

The incident comes at a time of several months of tension between the neighboring nations.

In a strong statement, the Azerbaijani ministry said the recent “anti-Azerbaijani campaign” in Iran had encouraged the shooters. It also accused authorities in Tehran of long ignoring Baku’s calls to beef up security at its embassy.

“Unfortunately, the latest bloody act of terrorism shows the serious consequences of our failure to pay due attention to our ongoing challenges in this regard,” it said.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani “strongly condemned” the attack, according to state television, and said the matter was being investigated with “high priority and sensitivity.”

Police in Tehran said they had arrested a suspect and were investigating the gunman’s motive.