TEHRAN (FNA)- Azeri Minister of Economy and Industry Shahin Mustafayev said the West-driven tensions against Iran cannot undermine the relations between Baku and Tehran.


The Azeri minister's remarks came after some media reports claimed that the Israeli spy drone had taken off from a former Soviet Union republic.

"The third parties are unable to ruin Tehran-Baku ties," Mustafayev said in a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Baku Mohsen Pakayeen in the Azeri capital on Monday.

He described Azerbaijan and Iran as two neighbors with friendly relations rooted deep in the history.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced in a statement ten days ago that it had shot down an Israeli drone near the highly sensitive nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz in Central Iran.

 

Then two days later on Tuesday, IRGC Lieutenant Commander Brigadier General Hossein Salami announced that Iran knew well from which country and which base the Israeli drone that it shot down a few days ago had taken off.

"What some people say that the drone had started its flight from Israel is not correct and we are almost certain about its origin, yet we would like to reserve judgment at present," Salami told reporters in Tehran on Tuesday.

He further pointed out that the drone had been traced as soon as it crossed Iran's borders, but "it was allowed to enter the country to see the intention (of the hostile forces operating it) and then we targeted and hit it at the right time".

The next day, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces for Cultural Affairs and Defense Publicity Brigadier General Massoud Jazzayeri told FNA that a regional country North of Iran has collaborated with Israel and served as a launch-pad for the mission, and said, "We are waiting for that country which has cooperated with the Quds Occupying Regime (Israel) to send the drone to Iran to make up for its wrong deed; otherwise, we will declare its name."

Jazzayeri said that the drone had taken off from a former Soviet republic in the North of Iran.

The same day, several world media outlets, including the WND and the Debka file, reported that the Israel's spy drone had taken off from Nakhchivan in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Then several top Iranian commanders and officials said they would give some time to make up for its collabration with the Israeli regime or wait for Tehran's crushing response.

Last week, Vice-Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mansour Haqiqatpour warned that Tehran will show tough reaction to the country which was used by Israel last week to send its spy drone to Iran.

"Any country that has allowed the Zionist regime to fly its (spy) drone from there to Iran should make up for its action," Haqiqatpour told FNA.

He cautioned that appropriate measures will be taken against the country that was used by the Israeli drone for take off, and said, "This country should wait for the consequences."

Haqiqatpour said that investigations are underway to identify the third country and some progress has been made in this regard so far.

By Fars News Agency

 

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