Azerbaijan to evacuate embassy in Iran after fatal shooting

Police in Tehran said they had arrested a suspect but said the gunman appeared to have had a personal, not a political, motive.

 A general view outside the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan after an attack on it, in Tehran, Iran, January 27, 2023. (photo credit: MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA/REUTERS)
A general view outside the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan after an attack on it, in Tehran, Iran, January 27, 2023.
(photo credit: MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA/REUTERS)

Azerbaijan will evacuate embassy staff and family members from Iran on Sunday, the foreign ministry said, two days after a gunman shot a security guard dead and wounded two other people in an attack Baku branded an "act of terrorism."

Police in Tehran said they had arrested a suspect and Iranian authorities condemned Friday's incident but said the gunman appeared to have had a personal, not a political, motive.

The incident came amid increased tensions between the neighboring countries over Iran's treatment of its large ethnic Azeri minority and over Azerbaijan's decision this month to appoint its first-ever ambassador to Israel.

Azerbaijan: Iran failed to better its security

After the attack, the Azeri foreign ministry said it summoned Iran's ambassador in Baku to demand justice and would evacuate embassy staff from Tehran. It gave no further details, including whether the embassy would continue to function.

Earlier, the ministry said the shooting was the result of Tehran failing to heed its calls for better security.

 Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visits one of the injured in the attack at the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in Tajrish hospital in Tehran, Iran, January 27, 2023 (credit: HAMID FOROUTAN/POOL/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS)
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visits one of the injured in the attack at the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in Tajrish hospital in Tehran, Iran, January 27, 2023 (credit: HAMID FOROUTAN/POOL/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS)

CCTV footage obtained by Reuters showed the attacker forcing his way into the embassy building and shooting at two men before a third embassy employee grapples him away.

A grey-haired man identified as the attacker was later shown on Iranian state TV saying he had acted to secure the release of his Azeri wife who he believed was being held at the embassy.

A young woman identified as the man's daughter said her mother was in Azerbaijan.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called for "a comprehensive investigation" of the incident and sent his condolences to Azerbaijan and the dead man's family, state media said.