TEHRAN: Iran has expelled 4 Azerbaijani diplomats a month after a similar move by Baku spotlighted a deterioration of ties between the two countries, Iranian media reported on Friday.
Last month, Azerbaijan said it was expelling 4 Iranian diplomats over “provocative actions.” Reports said that the ties between the two sides have strained after Baku improved its ties with Iran’s arch-enemy Israel. The dispute was spotlighted when Baku opened an embassy in Israel in March.
Iran suspects Azerbaijan’s relationship with Israel
Iran, which has a large population of Azeris in its northwest, has eagerly criticized Azerbaijan for moving closer to Israel. Iran’s foreign ministry said that it sees the relationship between Israel and Azerbaijan as “anti-Iranian.”
