Azernews.Az

Communications between Iran and Azerbaijan "in the language of diplomatic notes" is inconsistent with the logic of good neighborly ties, an Azerbaijani ruling party official has said, in a statement that follows Iran’s strongly-worded protests issued to the neighboring country in the past few days.

Earlier, the Iranian government claimed Azerbaijan allows its territory to be used by agents of the Israeli secret service for anti-Iranian spying activity. In another protest note, the Iranian embassy demanded an immediate release of recently detained Anar Bayramli, who is said to be the reporter of Iran’s Sahar TV channel and the Iranian Fars news agency in Azerbaijan, and Ramil Dadashov, a driver for Sahar TV. The two, among others, were recently seized in Azerbaijan on charges of illegal possession of arms, high treason and drug trafficking.

Ali Ahmadov, deputy chairman of the Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party, told media Wednesday that Tehran's protests were unfounded. Iran and Azerbaijan are neighbors and it is necessary to make efforts to maintain good neighborly relations, he said.

"The Azerbaijani side makes every effort to maintain good relations with Iran," he said. "I would like the Iranian side to demonstrate the same attitude."

He noted that there is a huge number of Azerbaijanis in Iran. "Half of Iran's population are ethnic Azerbaijanis. Any negative attitude toward Azerbaijan is an expression of the Iranian government's disrespect for its own citizens."

On Tuesday, Azerbaijan’s National Security Ministry said it had nabbed a cell linked to the Iranian secret service Sepah and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah group that planned to stage terror attacks on foreign nationals in the country.

Tehran has reportedly been displeased by friendlier links between Azerbaijan and Israel in recent months, while Azerbaijan has accused Iran of sponsoring Islamic radicals on its territory.