Individual who attacked Azerbaijan's Embassy in Tehran executed

According to a statement by Iranian Judiciary Spokesperson Asghar Jahangir, the death sentence handed down to Yasin Hosseinzadeh, who carried out the armed attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran on January 27, 2023, resulting in the death of a security chief and the injury of two security guards, was carried out this morning.

WHAT HAPPENED?

In the attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran, Security Chief Orhan Askerov lost his life, and 2 security guards were injured. Tehran Police Chief Hossein Rahimi stated that the attacker had been apprehended and claimed in his initial statement that he carried out the attack for personal reasons. Rahimi was later dismissed from his post.

Iranian media reported that the attacker said in court, "I thought my wife was at the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran and did not want to meet with me. I decided to go there with a rifle."

Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev described the incident as a "terrorist attack."

IT LED TO A DIPLOMATIC CRISIS

This attack caused a diplomatic crisis between Iran and Azerbaijan. On January 29, 2023, Azerbaijan decided to withdraw all embassy staff and diplomats from Tehran. Following the incident, both sides issued statements blaming each other; Azerbaijan expelled 4 Iranian diplomats, and Iran expelled 4 Azerbaijani diplomats, declaring them "personae non gratae." Additionally, operations were conducted in Azerbaijan against individuals accused of collaborating with Iranian intelligence, and numerous people were detained. Following this tension, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran resumed operations at its new address on July 15, 2024.

Iranian Judiciary Spokesperson Asghar Jahangir had announced on January 22, 2025, that the death sentence given to the attacker had been upheld by the Supreme Court.