The death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash is again at the center of attention as Tehran casts a critical eye on neighboring Azerbaijan. The crash, which occurred on May 19, 2024, in a mountainous area bordering Azerbaijan, is now being associated with claims that Azerbaijan played a role in a Mossad plot.
Mehdi Sobhani, an Iranian diplomat, has asserted that Israel received assistance from neighboring countries for its covert operations within Iran. He specifically implicated Azerbaijan, stating that Israeli drones entered Iran through their territory. Sobhani’s statements, made at a press conference on June 27, reveal that Iran has obtained information about Israel’s movements and has asked Azerbaijan to conduct an inquiry. This is bolstered by reports from Iranian state-owned media, which have cited intelligence indicating that Israel smuggled mini UAVs into Iran recently.
The current situation has revived interest in Raisi’s crash, given the strained relationship between Iran and Azerbaijan, partly due to Azerbaijan’s ties with Israel. It is now possible that a new investigation will be launched into the role of the neighboring nation. However, the official investigation at the time blamed adverse weather conditions.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has rejected the claims as unfounded and provocative. The ministry stated that the accusations lack credible evidence and requested Iran to avoid actions that could damage their relationship. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has requested his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, to probe into alleged UAV smuggling through their country.