Azerbaijan Says Iran Fired Drones at Nakhchivan Airport; Iran Denies Targeting Exclave

On March 5 Azerbaijan reported that two drones launched from Iranian territory struck its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

“Azerbaijan says drones launched from Iran struck Nakhchivan International Airport (NAJ), the main civilian gateway for the Azerbaijani exclave, and has summoned Iran’s ambassador to formally protest, condemning the attacks”

AeroTime

Azerbaijan said one drone hit the terminal area of Nakhchivan International Airport.

AeroTime

A second drone fell near a school in the village of Shakarabad, causing damage and injuring civilians.

Al Jazeera relayed the ministry statement saying the strikes injured two civilians and caused damage at the airport, with one drone hitting the terminal and the other falling near the Shakarabad school.

Haberler said unmanned aerial vehicles struck civilian infrastructure, damaging an airport building and injuring two people.

AeroTime reported similarly that two drones launched from Iranian territory struck Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave, injuring two civilians and damaging infrastructure at Nakhchivan International Airport and in Shakarabad.

The Washington Post (via AP) and India Today published higher casualty counts, with the Post saying the attack injured four civilians and India Today reporting that a drone hit a building at Nakhchivan airport and injured four.

These sources therefore contradict each other on the number of injured civilians, with reports saying either two or four people were injured.

Baku immediately condemned the strikes, summoned Iran's ambassador and warned it reserves the right to respond.

President Ilham Aliyev held security meetings and ordered the armed forces to be prepared.

Al Jazeera

PA Turkey reported that President Ilham Aliyev called the attack a 'cowardly terrorist act', demanded a formal apology and said the drones originated from Iranian territory.

Report.az said Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told counterparts that Iran must promptly explain the attack.

Local outlets and state reporting noted that Azerbaijan has opened investigations and that officials warned they could take countermeasures to protect sovereignty.

Daily Post Nigeria quoted President Ilham Aliyev saying those responsible must 'be brought to justice without delay' and that the armed forces are 'prepared to carry out any required operations'.

Iran denied responsibility and pushed alternative explanations.

“Azerbaijan has demanded that Iran promptly provide a clear explanation and launch an investigation into a recent incident, take urgent steps to prevent a recurrence, and warned it reserves the right to respond”

Apa.az

Iranian officials told Azerbaijani counterparts that Tehran targets only U.S. and Israeli military sites and raised the prospect the incident could be a 'false flag'.

Haberler reported that Iran denied responsibility, insisted it respects other countries' sovereignty, and accused Israel of staging a provocative action.

PA Turkey quoted Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying Tehran targets U.S. and Israeli military sites and suggested the episode could be a 'false flag' intended to harm Iran's regional relations.

The Express Tribune and other outlets relayed Tehran's denials and Iranian officials' assertions attributing some recent strikes in the region to Israel rather than to Iran.

Observers placed the Nakhchivan strikes in a wider regional escalation tied to the Iran–Israel–US confrontation, with multiple countries reporting missile and drone activity across the Middle East in recent days.

AeroTime linked the Nakhchivan strikes to a wave of activity that saw NATO defenses shoot down a ballistic missile headed toward Turkish airspace and alleged Iranian‑linked drone strikes on the RAF base at Akrotiri in Cyprus.

Balkanweb

AeroTime noted that the UK, Greece and France deployed extra assets and that France redeployed the carrier Charles de Gaulle.

PA Turkey and RFE/RL highlighted Turkey’s diplomatic and security response, saying Ankara pledged support for Baku and invoked the Shusha Declaration, and analysts warned the episode increases risk in the strategically sensitive "Turkish Gate" (Nakhchivan) and could drive wider escalation.

Azerbaijani authorities said they were examining UAV technical details and opened probes, and key facts about the incident remain contested.

“Azerbaijan says Iran carried out a kamikaze-drone strike on Nakhchivan International Airport, damaging the terminal (parts of the ceiling and walls collapsed) and forcing Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2263 to divert back to Baku”

Daily Express

Haberler said authorities have increased security and opened an investigation, including examining the UAVs' technical details, while AeroTime said the drones are suspected to have been Arash‑2 one‑way attack UAVs.

Daily Express

RFE/RL quoted an independent analyst saying Iran’s motive is unclear and suggesting the strike could have been accidental or an early sign of wider escalation.

Sources diverge on casualties and attribution: the Washington Post (AP) and India Today report four injured, most Azerbaijani and regional outlets report two injured, and Iran’s denials and claims of possible false flags leave key questions unresolved pending forensic and diplomatic findings.