Azernews.Az

In the early hours of May 11, suspicious activity was detected near the Khudaferin Bridge in the service area of the “Horadiz” border detachment of the State Border Service of Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

According to a statement by the Press Center of the State Border Service, at around 04:00 local time, four individuals were seen crossing onto the Azerbaijani side of the bridge from Iranian territory. The individuals began excavation work on the column section of the historical Khudaferin Bridge, prompting an immediate response from Azerbaijani border guards and notification to their Iranian counterparts.

As the border unit approached, one of the intruders reportedly jumped into the Araz River, while the other three fled back and were detained on Iranian territory. Excavation tools left at the scene were seized as evidence.

Iranian authorities later confirmed that the detained individuals are citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran. A joint search operation is ongoing for the individual who leapt into the river.

The incident remains under investigation, with both Azerbaijani and Iranian border services coordinating further operational and investigative measures.