As Azerbaijan reopens Iran embassy, normalization remains shaky
Though both sides have welcomed the reopening as a key step in mending their strained ties, the two neighbors appear to have a long road ahead in resolving deep-seated geopolitical and ideological differences.
TEHRAN — The spokesman for the Iranian government, Ali Bahadori Jahromi, confirmed the reopening of the Azerbaijan Embassy in Tehran after 18 months of closure prompted by a deadly attack inside the mission's former building.
In an X post on Monday, Bahadori Jahromi welcomed the move, applauding late President Ebrahim Raisi's diplomatic efforts that he said were "bearing fruit" even after his death.
Baku decided to suspend all activities of its Tehran embassy in January 2023 after a staff member was killed in a shooting inside the promises. Azerbaijani authorities linked the attack to a preplanned "terrorist" plot, but Tehran dismissed the assertion, saying the assailant, who is currently facing trial, stormed the building with personal motives.
In a press release on its official website announcing the resumption of the embassy's work, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said Tehran had pledged guarantees for the security of the new building and protection of staff under arrangements set out by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The reopening, it added, "will contribute to the further development of Azerbaijan-Iran relations … and the issues that need to be resolved."
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