Azernews.Az

The Iranian foreign ministry summoned Azerbaijan`s ambassador on Saturday after Azerbaijani security officials announced the arrests of a cell on suspicion of plotting terror attacks against Western targets in Baku on orders from the neighboring country`s secret service.

Azerbaijan`s Ministry of National Security said earlier that 22 suspects, all Azerbaijani citizens, were arrested on charges of masterminding attacks on the US and Israeli embassies in Baku. Azerbaijani officials said the spies, who had been recruited by Iran beginning in 1999, cooperated with members of Iran`s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps.

During the meeting with Ambassador Javanshir Akhundov, the Iranian foreign ministry protested and dismissed Azerbaijan`s accusations. Tehran claimed that Baku`s actions run counter to the statement recently signed at the trilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani, Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers in Azerbaijan`s Nakhchivan autonomous republic and the agreement inked by the two countries` defense ministers.

``Zionist organizations initiate the leveling of such allegations against Iran in other countries as well,`` the Iranian ministry was quoted by IRNA news agency as saying.

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev has confirmed Tehran`s summoning of Amb. Akhundov.

Abdullayev said Azerbaijan views its relations with Iran from the viewpoint of good neighborliness.

``This principle was reflected in the declaration signed by the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey in Nakhchivan,`` he said. ``Also, Azerbaijan and Iran lately have been exchanging state visits.``

According to Azerbaijani law enforcement agencies, the suspects detained over plotting terror attacks in Baku were trained in the use of weapons and spy techniques at military camps in Iran to help them gather information on foreign embassies, organizations, and companies in Azerbaijan and stage attacks against them. The suspects ascertained the addresses and developed schemes of the locations of the Jewish organization Sochnut`s office, several educational institutions, the American Fast Food restaurant, and BP Azerbaijan oil company`s office. They were tracking these locations, collecting information about employees there and transferring the obtained data to the Iranian secret service, the Ministry of National Security said.

A statement of the ministry said firearms, explosives and espionage equipment were found during the arrest of the suspects. The statement gave no details about when, where, or how the arrests of the suspects took place.

Baku and Tehran have been facing tensions in past months. In mid-January, the Azerbaijani National Security Ministry said two Azerbaijani nationals who planned attacks on foreign public figures in Baku had been seized. Though the government did not specify who was targeted by the attacks, Israeli media reported that the intended victims were the Israeli ambassador and two employees of a Jewish school in Baku.

This was followed by Iran`s issuance of two protests to Azerbaijan in February. In one of the protest notes, Iran claimed Azerbaijan allows Israel`s Mossad spy agency to carry out anti-Iranian activity on its soil. In the other protest note, issued after the detention in Baku of two employees of Iran`s Seher TV channel, which is known for its anti-Azerbaijani broadcasts, Tehran demanded their immediate release.

Iran has reportedly been displeased by friendlier links between Azerbaijan and Iranian rival Israel. Tehran`s concerns were amplified after Israel last month signed a $1.6 billion deal to sell drones, anti-aircraft and missile defense systems to Azerbaijan, bringing Israeli technology to the border of archenemy Iran.

Last week, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev paid a two-day visit to Tehran to hold talks with Iranian leaders, which some analysts said would help to ease escalating tension between the two neighboring countries. Abiyev said Baku would not allow its territory to be used for a Western military attack on Iran and was seeking closer cooperation with Iran to secure peace and stability in the region.

Israel has hinted at an attack on Iran`s nuclear facilities, charging Iran is trying to make nuclear weapons. Iran denies the charge, saying its nuclear activities are aimed at peaceful purposes like power generation.