Azernews.Az

Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the Azerbaijani ambassador on Tuesday and sought an explanation to the reports on Baku’s purchase of some $1.6 billion in weapons from Israel, according to the ministry’s website.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned that any potential use of Azerbaijan’s territory against neighboring Iran would be unacceptable, according to the ministry.

In his reply, Amb. Javanshir Akhundov assured Tehran that weaponry purchases from Israel are aimed merely to liberate Azerbaijan’s territories from Armenian occupation and will not be used against third countries, particularly, Iran, Fars news agency reported.

Also on Tuesday, Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Seyid Ali Saqqaiyan was quoted by Fars as saying in a speech that there is a "creeping influence of Zionists and foreigners in the South Caucasus region."

The reports on Israel’s sales of weaponry to Azerbaijan come amid brewing tension over Iran’s nuclear program.

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev said that Azerbaijan reserves the right to purchase weaponry given that 20 percent of its territory is under the occupation of Armenian armed forces.

"Azerbaijan has the right to regain its territories. Our stance has always been based on international law," Abdullayev said.

The ministry spokesman said Baku is pursuing an independent and balanced foreign policy. "Azerbaijan attaches importance to good neighborliness relations, and they have to be based on mutual respect," he added.

Israeli officials confirmed Monday that Azerbaijan had agreed with Israel to purchase drones, antiaircraft missiles and missile defense systems worth $1.6 billion.

An Israeli defense ministry source that spoke on condition of anonymity said talks about the deal had long been underway, but the agreement should not be deemed as a response to Iran’s nuclear activities.

The Jerusalem Post said earlier that under the biggest arms deal Israel has reached with former Soviet republics, the arms will be supplied to Azerbaijan by the state-run Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The timing of deliveries was not reported.

The Azerbaijani ambassador was summoned to Iran’s foreign ministry for a second time in the past two weeks. On February 12, Iran claimed that Azerbaijan allows its territory to be used by Israeli spies for anti-Iranian activity. In a protest note handed to Akhundov, Tehran claimed Azerbaijan is turning a blind eye to free travel of terrorists implicated in the recent killing of Iranian nuclear scientists, a charge Baku rejected as "slander".

Baku earlier this month arrested a group of people that it said were linked to Iran and who were planning attacks in Azerbaijan. Those arrests came about the same time there were reported attempts to kill Israeli diplomats in India, Thailand, and Georgia.