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Azerbaijan expresses protest to Iran over military plane sortie at state border

The plane flew approximately 3-5 km away from the border, Azerbaijani Foreign and Defense Ministries said in a joint statement

© Aziz Karimov/Getty Images

BAKU, March 11. /TASS/. The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan presented to Iranian Ambassador with a note of protest over sorties of an Iranian military plane over the border between the two countries, Azerbaijani Foreign and Defense Ministries said in a joint statement Saturday.

"On March 11, a military plane belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran was continuously flying along the Azerbaijani-Iranian border between 09:44 and 10:26 [local time], from Zangilan to Bilyasuvar District and back. The plane flew approximately 3-5 km away from the border and, in some cases, directly above the border," the statement reads.

According to the statement, the Ambassador of Iran to Baku Seyed Abbas Mousavi was summoned to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry Saturday, where he was presented with a note of protest."

The statement underscored that a military plane approaching the state border and flying above the border line "pose a threat to the security of civilian aviation and contribute to further escalation of bilateral tensions."

"A sortie of a military plane over Azerbaijani territories liberated from occupation, which lasted for over half an hour, is a provocation and unfriendly behavior towards Azerbaijan," the document reads.

The Azerbaijani ministries called on the Iranian side to provide explanations and to "refrain from such provocative actions in the future.".

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