Travel between Azerbaijan, Iran still partially restricted

Travel between Azerbaijanand Iran is still partially restricted, days after shots were fired from Iranat a tractor on the Azerbaijani side.

Azerbaijan took actionafter a 5 November incident in which two men, reportedly wearing Iranianmilitary uniforms, fired at a tractor on the opposite shore of the Araz River,which marks the border.

When Iran failed to providean explanation, Azerbaijan closed the nearby Shahtakhti crossing point in itsNakhchivan exclave.

In return, Iran closed twocheckpoints, in Bilasuvar and Julfa.

Iran closed the checkpointsover the Azerbaijani side’s refusal to negotiate over the shooting incident,Mohammad Ayatollahi, the press secretary at Iran’s embassy in Baku, said on 8November.

As of today, the Bilasuvarcheckpoint has reopened for pedestrians and vehicles but Julfa is still closedto vehicles, according to local media.

Iran’s ambassador toAzerbaijan, Mohsen Pak Ayeen, attempted to defuse the situation,saying 11 November that relations had not worsened and predicting theresumption of normal border traffic.

ANN.Az