The circumstances surrounding the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash are once again under intense scrutiny, with Iran turning its focus towards Azerbaijan. The crash occurred on May 19, 2024, in a mountainous region near the Azerbaijani border, and now the incident is being linked to accusations that Azerbaijan facilitated a Mossad plot.
Iranian diplomat Mehdi Sobhani has alleged that Israel was assisted by neighboring countries in its covert operations. He singled out Azerbaijan, claiming that Israeli drones entered Iranian territory through the country. Sobhani’s remarks, delivered at a press conference on June 27, indicate Iran possesses information regarding Israel’s actions and has called for an investigation by Azerbaijan. Furthermore, Iranian state media reported on intelligence suggesting that Israel smuggled mini UAVs into Iran over the past few months.
The crash has resurfaced due to the pre-existing tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan, which are partly due to Azerbaijan’s close ties with Israel. With the potential for a fresh inquiry, Iran may be looking into the neighboring nation’s role in the crash, despite the initial official report attributing the crash to bad weather.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has responded to these accusations, dismissing them as baseless and provocative. They have stated that the claims lack any credible evidence. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has requested his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, to probe the alleged smuggling of UAVs through their country.