Prominent Israeli political analyst and international law expert Mikhail Finkel gave an interview to Globalinfo.Az regarding the terrorist attack on the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Iran.
The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran following the attack on the embassy and the interview on Iranian television with the terrorist who committed the attack, attempt to paint it as a “domestic incident”. Immediately after the terrorist attack, they claimed that it had been carried out by Armenians. Do you think the Iranian authorities orchestrated it?
The Iranian regime is a terrorist regime. And that is how it is perceived by most of the civilized nations of the world. It spans the entire world. Iran controls terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and the Houthis. They organize attacks on Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Israel and European countries. The 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Argentina killed 100 people and injured hundreds. Argentine intelligence concluded that the IRGC and the Iranian authorities were behind it. So, I am not surprised by today’s attack. Of course, Iran is behind it. It was not an accident. All the lies they are telling have nothing to do with reality. Under international law, an attack on a country’s embassy is considered tantamount to a declaration of war.
Could this act of terrorism be a response to Azerbaijan opening its embassy in Israel?
This happened on the Holocaust Remembrance Day. This happened after Azerbaijan announced the opening of its embassy in Israel. This is undoubtedly an attempt to intimidate Azerbaijan and undermine Azerbaijan-Israel friendship and cooperation.
What consequences does today’s attack entail for the region as a whole?
I think there may be various consequences. A hot war between Azerbaijan and Iran is unlikely. But the probability of severing of diplomatic relations is now greater than ever.
The Ambassador of Israel met with Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration. What kind of support can Tel Aviv offer Baku in this matter?
Israel expresses its condolences to the brotherly Azerbaijani people. Our ambassador met and spoke with Hikmet Hajiyev. We can offer assistance in the field of intelligence and technology, in embassy security, and share our experience in order to prevent similar incidents in the future. We have a lot of experience in counter-terrorism operations and we can share this experience with you. Together we are strong. No enemy can damage the friendship, cooperation and alliance, the brotherhood between the peoples of Azerbaijan and Israel.
Gulnar Salimova
Translated from Globalinfo.az
