BAKU: Azerbaijan has reopened its border crossings with Iran for cargo traffic following a brief closure triggered by a suspected drone incident.
Azerbaijan closed border crossings last week after Baku accused Iran of carrying out a drone attack in the Nakhchivan exclave. The move temporarily disrupted one of the shortest land routes linking Iran with its ally Russia, raising concerns over regional trade and transportation.
However, Azerbaijani officials later confirmed that the border had reopened for cargo movement, allowing trucks and goods shipments to resume operations. The decision aims to restore commercial activity and maintain the key trade corridor connecting the two countries.
Diplomatic contact follows border tensions
Meanwhile, diplomatic engagement between the two countries took place after the incident. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian contacted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev by phone to address the situation and ease tensions.
During the call, Pezeshkian told Aliyev that Iran was not involved in the drone incident reported in the Nakhchivan region. He also assured the Azerbaijani leader that Tehran had launched an investigation into the matter to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack.
According to Aliyev’s office, the Iranian president emphasized that his government takes the allegations seriously and intends to clarify the issue through official inquiries.
Border closure raised trade concerns
The temporary closure of the crossings had raised concerns about disruptions to trade and regional logistics. The Azerbaijan-Iran border serves as an important transit route, particularly for cargo traveling between Iran and Russia.
Analysts say the reopening of the crossings could help stabilize trade flows and reduce tensions between the neighboring countries.
Azerbaijan and Iran are probing the drone attack incident to end tension between the two countries.
