Iran Rejects Allegations of Aerial Strikes on Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Cyprus Citing Foreign False Flag Operations

Iran’s Foreign Ministry denies responsibility for strikes on Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Cyprus, calling the incidents staged false flag operations by Israel.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 7:10 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from bne IntelliNews

Formal Denial of Regional Offensive Actions

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei addressed the international community on March 9 to explicitly deny that Iranian forces conducted strikes against Turkey, Azerbaijan, or Cyprus. During a morning press briefing, Baghaei maintained that no offensive actions had been launched from Iranian territory targeting these nations. This official stance serves as a rebuttal to several reported incidents over the past week that have heightened military tensions across the Middle East and the Caucasus.

Analysis of the Nakhchivan Drone Incident

The most direct allegation involves a drone strike on March 5 that targeted the Nakhchivan International Airport and a nearby village in Azerbaijan. According to Azerbaijani authorities, the attack resulted in injuries to two civilians and caused significant infrastructure damage. While Baku has directly attributed the strike to Iran and promised a retaliatory response, Iran’s General Staff countered by labeling the event a "false flag" operation. Tehran suggests the strike was orchestrated by Israeli intelligence to drive a wedge between the two Muslim-majority nations.

Missile Interceptions and Airspace Disruptions

Beyond the drone strikes, the regional instability included a ballistic missile heading toward Turkish airspace on March 4, which required immediate interception. This specific event prompted a direct phone call between the Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers to manage the diplomatic fallout. Simultaneously, Cyprus was forced to temporarily suspend operations at Larnaca International Airport after detecting an unidentified object in its airspace. Baghaei dismissed these events as staged provocations designed to create a pretext for further Western military intervention.