Azerbaijan has suspended air communication with Iran due to new US sanctions.

Due to another package of US sanctions against the aviation sector, the Islamic Republic of Azerbaijan has suspended air communication with Iran.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on March 5, as a result of a drone attack on the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, four people were injured. Ilham Aliyev called the attack "a deliberate act of terrorism by Iran"; flights to Nakhchivan were suspended. At that time, air communication was the only transport link between the autonomous republic and the rest of Azerbaijan, as bus trips through Iranian territory had been suspended since February 28.

Flights of Iranian airlines from Iran to Azerbaijan have been suspended as of today, September 22, the State Civil Aviation Agency under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan reported this evening.

The decision was made "in connection with new US sanctions against the aviation sector of Iran," the agency's release noted.

"In light of the current restrictions, we recommend contacting the relevant airlines or the place of ticket purchase," the message emphasized.

A source in Azerbaijan's aviation sector told a correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" that Iranian carriers were operating flights to Baku from Tehran and Tabriz. "The Azerbaijani airline AZAL has not recently operated flights to Iran," the source added.

According to him, the restrictions will not affect AZAL flights to Nakhchivan, as they are currently being carried out through Armenian territory.

There is also no permanent land passenger communication between Azerbaijan and Iran – a special quarantine regime is still in effect in the country, introduced to prevent the spread of COVID-19. On September 17, the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan extended its validity until January 2, 2027.