Iran starts military exercises on the border with Azerbaijan

Land Forces Commander Kiomars Heydari said the "Khaybar Conquerors" military exercises included "armoured units, artillery units, anti-aircraft guns, electronic warfare and helicopter fire."

Kiomars Heydari said the exercises were held "to increase combat readiness in the region."

In an interview a few days ago, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called the Iranian military exercise "very surprising." He said that each country can train on its territory, which is their inalienable right.

In an interview, Ilham Aliyev asked why Iran did not hold military exercises in the Jabrayil, Fizuli and Zangilan regions during the 30-year occupation of Armenia.

Relations between the two countries have been strained since official Baku started detaining and questioning Iranian licenced vehicles using the Goris-Kapan road, part of which passes through Azerbaijan.

Political expert Javidan Ahmadkhanli said that "I think that even if Iran's latest attacks are a power show, these tensions will lead to irreversible changes in bilateral political relations. It's completely different and sharper."

The expert added that "the conduct of Iranian exercises on our borders by the Iranian Armed Forces is an important detail.”

Iran has two military systems, the Iranian Armed Forces (Artesh) and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah).

According to the Iranian constitution, Artesh is responsible for "the independence and territorial integrity of the country, the protection of the order of the Islamic Republic." Sepah is responsible for "maintaining the revolutionary regime." That is, Artesh is the state army, and Sepah is the army of the political regime.

Another difference between the two is that Artesh's activities remain within Iran's borders, while Sepah's activities operate both domestically and abroad. “In a sense, Artesh is defensive and Sepah is offensive" Ahmadkhanli concluded.

Meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister and new Azerbaijani Ambassador to Iran

While receiving the newly appointed Azerbaijani Ambassador to Iran Ali Alizadeh, Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahian called the treatment of drivers of Iranian license plates in Azerbaijan "inappropriate" and said he was "disappointed" with the detention of the two drivers.

For some time now, Azerbaijan has been inspecting drivers of vehicles with Iranian license plates on the part of the Goris-Kapan road passing through its territory and imposing customs duties on trucks.

Two Iranian drivers were detained on charges of illegal entry into Azerbaijan.

The minister's reception coincides with Iran's launch of large-scale military exercises on the border with Azerbaijan. Iran has said it is conducting the exercises "to increase combat readiness in the region."

According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Mr. Abdullahian, speaking about Israel's recent actions near the Iranian border, said that his country "will not tolerate the Zionist regime's presence on its borders and will take the necessary measures against the regime's activities."

Stressing the importance of relations between Tehran and Baku, the Iranian official described the recent "negative comments" by Azerbaijani officials as "surprising and regrettable."

He said it was a "sovereign right" for each country to conduct military exercises on its territory.

The newly appointed ambassador of Azerbaijan Ali Alizadeh said that Azerbaijan and Iran have "good and deep relations" and that Iran is a "dear and brotherly neighbour" for Azerbaijan, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

According to the report, the Azerbaijani ambassador said he hoped that the recent issues would soon be resolved "through consultations" between officials of the two countries.