Iran (IMNA) - Nasser Kanani, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said in a statement on Friday that Tehran thought such moves by the Azerbaijani government went against neighborly norms.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes the [importance of] observing the principles and fundamentals of neighborhood policy and paying attention to the sinister goals of the Zionist regime (Israel) in causing rifts and tension in the relations among Muslim countries while at the same time, it has diplomatic countermeasures on its agenda," Kan'ani continued.
Four Iranian embassy employees have been designated persona non grata, according to Azerbaijan, which said they engaged in "provocative actions" that contributed to the most recent worsening of relations between the two countries.
The move occurred only hours after Baku announced the arrest of six individuals it alleged were affiliated to Iranian secret services and organizing a coup in the Caspian country.
After an attack on the Eurasian country's embassy in Tehran, Azerbaijan's ties with Iran were tense in January.
Azerbaijan shuttered its diplomatic office following the event and evacuated workers over what it dubbed a “terrorist act,” with President Ilham Aliyev blaming it on the “Iranian establishment.”
While this is happening, a preliminary investigation suggested that the attacker's motivation was "personal and family-related problems."
Kan'ani also asked Azerbaijan to act on mutual respect and good neighborliness rather than chasing the demands of Zionists and regional foes.
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