Iranian drones hit Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan airport near the Iranian border, injuring two civilians and damaging infrastructure as Baku summons Tehran’s envoy.
Emergency teams rushed to the airport after the explosion, where videos circulating online showed smoke rising from the damaged terminal building. (Photo: X/G_Aine)
Fresh tensions have emerged in the South Caucasus after Azerbaijan accused Iran of launching drone strikes on the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, an Azerbaijani exclave located along the Iranian border. The incident reportedly occurred around midday on Thursday when drones flying from Iranian territory entered Azerbaijani airspace and hit civilian areas.
According to Azerbaijani authorities, one drone struck the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport, while another crashed close to a school in the nearby village of Shakarabad. The strikes damaged infrastructure and injured two civilians, raising alarm about the spillover of regional conflicts into neighboring countries.
Emergency teams rushed to the airport after the explosion, where videos circulating online showed smoke rising from the damaged terminal building.
Officials said multiple drones crossed the border from Iran into the Nakhchivan region. One unmanned aerial vehicle directly impacted the airport’s terminal building, causing visible structural damage. Another drone fell near a school building in Shakarabad village.
Authorities confirmed that two civilians suffered injuries during the incident and were taken to the hospital for treatment. Their condition was later reported as stable.
🚨🇮🇷🇦🇿 BREAKING: IRAN STRIKES AZERBAIJAN
— AQaiyyum (@AbdulQaiyyum00) March 5, 2026
For the first time since the conflict began, an Iranian drone has struck Azerbaijani territory.
Target Nakhchivan International Airport
The strike on Nakhchivan suggests either:
• A rogue action or miscalculation by Iranian forces
•… pic.twitter.com/DLHtawXKIs
The airport lies about 10 kilometers from the Iranian border, making it highly vulnerable to cross-border drone activity. The facility serves as a key transport hub for the Azerbaijani exclave, which is geographically separated from mainland Azerbaijan by Armenia.
Following the strikes, Azerbaijan strongly condemned the incident and accused Iran of violating international law. In an official statement, Azerbaijani authorities criticized Tehran for carrying out drone attacks on civilian infrastructure.
“We strongly condemn these drone attacks from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran," authorities said, adding that the strike damaged airport infrastructure and injured civilians, calling it a violation of international law that risks increasing regional tensions.
Officials also warned that such actions could escalate instability across the wider region.
In response to the attack, Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry summoned Iran’s ambassador in Baku to lodge a formal protest. The government demanded a clear explanation from Tehran and urged Iranian authorities to investigate the incident.
Officials said Azerbaijan reserves the right to take further measures if similar attacks occur again. The diplomatic move highlights the seriousness with which Baku views the incident.
Government statements emphasized that targeting civilian infrastructure and the territory of another country contradicts international norms and could increase geopolitical tensions in the already fragile region.
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic occupies a sensitive geopolitical position. Although it is part of Azerbaijan, the territory remains physically separated from the rest of the country and borders Iran, Armenia, and Turkey.
Because of its strategic location, any military activity in the region quickly attracts international attention. Security analysts warn that cross-border drone strikes could widen regional tensions, especially as conflicts involving Iran and its rivals continue to unfold across the Middle East and nearby regions.
With diplomatic tensions now rising between Baku and Tehran, regional observers are closely watching how both countries respond in the coming days.
