On Friday, an armed man opened fire on the Azerbaijani embassy in the Iranian capital, killing the head of the security service and injuring two people. The suspect is in custody.
According to the Azerbaijani foreign minister, quoted by Reuters, “the attacker broke into the observation post, killing the head of the security service with a Kalashnikov.”
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev condemned the attack as a “terrorist act.”
A spokesman for Iran’s foreign minister also “strongly condemns” the attack and says the case is under investigation, Reuters reported.
Tehran police said the suspect has been detained and the motive for the attack is under investigation.
According to the Tasnim news agency, quoted by Reuters, the attacker’s motives are personal. Authorities indicate that the man stated that the woman went to the embassy and never returned home.
The man reportedly tried to contact the embassy but never received a response and believes the woman is inside the building.
The Iranian police chief said the woman was from Azerbaijan.
The Azeri foreign minister said the “anti-Azerbaijani campaign” in Iran contributed to the attack, and Azeri authorities also accuse Iran of ignoring calls to beef up the security of the embassy in Tehran.