Azernews.Az

The Iranian embassy in Baku has dismissed reports claiming that Iran could have orchestrated last Saturday’s brutal attack on a well-known Azerbaijani writer and journalist.

Rafig Taghi was stabbed by an unknown individual with a knife six times while he was on his way home. Some media reports circulated that the attack could be linked to Taghi’s criticism of Iran and hard-line Islamists in his articles.

The Iranian embassy in Baku said in a statement that the allegations, made by some individuals and some Azerbaijani media outlets, are "baseless" and "far from reality". It regarded the claims as "Zionist-American provocations", which aim to tarnish the strategic relations between the two countries and are doomed to failure.

Following the attack, two of Taghi’s ribs were broken, his stomach and diaphragm injured, and his spleen had to be removed. He was hospitalized and doctors said his numerous injuries were no longer life-threatening.

Authorities have launched a criminal case on charges of "infliction of severe damage to health".

In 2007, a district court in Baku sentenced Taghi to three years in jail for an article printed in 2006 that was deemed to be critical of Islam and Prophet Muhammad. He was released by presidential pardon later that year.

The article also prompted an Iranian cleric, Grand Ayatollah Fazel Lankarani, to place a fatwa on Taghi, calling for his death.