Khaberni - Azerbaijan announced the thwarting of several sabotage operations described as “terrorist,” stating that they were planned by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, including targeting the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline that passes through the South Caucasus to Turkey.
A statement issued by the Azerbaijani State Security Service and reported by the state news agency AzerTaj said that the plots also targeted the Israeli embassy in Baku, a Jewish synagogue, and the leader of the "Mountain Jews" in the country.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline passes through Georgia and Turkey, transporting oil to the European markets.
It also represents about one-third of Israel's oil imports, making any targeting of it a potential threat to global energy supplies.
According to investigations, Iranians and an Azerbaijani citizen planned to smuggle more than 7 kilograms of C-4 explosives into the country, based on instructions from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
The Azerbaijani authorities have issued international arrest warrants for four individuals linked to the plot.
The announcement came one day after Baku vowed to respond to what it described as the incursion of 4 Iranian drones into the Nakhchivan area, which injured 4 people and damaged the airport infrastructure, which Iran denied.
In a move reflecting the escalation of tension, Azerbaijan ordered the evacuation of its diplomats from Iran due to security concerns, amid strained relations between the two countries on the background of Baku's close relations with Israel and Turkey.
