Pakistan expresses concern over attacks on Turkey and Azerbaijan

Pakistan expressed on Thursday serious concern over reported attacks targeting Turkey and Azerbaijan, calling for restraint and dialogue to prevent further escalation in the region.

In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attacks violated international law and the principles governing relations between states.

“Pakistan expresses serious concern over the recent attacks targeting the brotherly countries, Turkey and Azerbaijan,” the ministry said, adding that the incidents could push the region toward further escalation.

The statement reaffirmed Pakistan’s “strong solidarity” with Turkey and Azerbaijan and urged all sides to exercise restraint.

The ministry also called for dialogue and diplomacy to maintain regional peace and stability.

Prime minister condemns attack on Turkey

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately condemned what he described as a “reprehensible” attack targeting Turkey’s security.

In a post on X, Sharif expressed Pakistan’s full support for the people of Turkey and stressed the importance of regional stability.

He warned that such violence risks escalating tensions and undermining peace in the region.

Sharif called on all parties to exercise “maximum restraint” and urged diplomatic engagement to uphold respect for national sovereignty and prevent further destabilization.

He also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to supporting efforts aimed at promoting peace and resolving regional conflicts through dialogue.

Drone incident raises tensions in Azerbaijan

The statements from Islamabad came after Azerbaijan said four Iranian drones had crossed its border and injured four people in the Nakhchivan exclave, raising concerns about possible spillover from the wider Middle East conflict.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said the country would prepare retaliatory measures following what he described as an act of aggression.

“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said at a meeting of the country’s Security Council, adding that the armed forces had been instructed to prepare appropriate responses.

Iran denied carrying out the attack. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told Azerbaijani outlet AnewZ that Tehran does not target neighboring countries.

According to Azerbaijani authorities, one drone fell on the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Iranian border, while another landed near a school in a nearby village.

Another drone was shot down by the Azerbaijani army and one struck civilian infrastructure.

The four injured people were taken to hospital and were in stable condition, the Health Ministry in the exclave told Reuters.

Video footage verified by Reuters showed black smoke rising near the airport and damage to the terminal’s skylight.

Authorities said they were investigating the type of drones used.

Airspace closure after incident

Azerbaijan said it had closed its southern airspace for 12 hours following the incident.

It also shut border crossings with Iran to cargo trucks, including transit shipments, disrupting a key land route connecting Iran with Russia.

More than 1,100 people had crossed from Iran into Azerbaijan via the Astara border crossing since U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iran began on Saturday, according to a source close to the Azerbaijani government cited by Reuters.

Azerbaijan’s foreign minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, condemned the incident during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi, saying the attack violated international law and increased tensions in the region.

Araqchi again denied Iran was responsible and said Tehran would conduct an investigation, according to an Iranian Foreign Ministry statement.

Azerbaijan is a major oil and gas producer whose exports to Turkey and Europe flow through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.

- With additional input from Reuters