Azerbaijan releases two Iranian drivers who illegally entered Karabakh

Baku/21.10.21/Turan: On the morning of October 21, the Azerbaijani side returned to Iran two citizens of this country who had been arrested in September for illegally entering Karabakh and smuggling goods.

"Proceeding from the principles of humanism, mutual respect and good-neighborliness and showing good will, and in accordance with the agreement reached, Azerbaijan has returned two citizens of this country to Iran - Barzegyar Haghi Jafar Gazanfar and Noruzi Shahrud Heydar," the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan said in a statement.

These persons were arrested on September 16 for illegally entering Khankendi with forged documents, as well as crossing the state border of Azerbaijan without proper documents and bypassing checkpoints. The Customs Committee of Azerbaijan has opened a criminal case against them under Articles 206.3.2 and 318.2.

The Iranian side tried to put pressure on Azerbaijan, demanding the extradition of those arrested. However, military exercises on the border, loud threats from Tehran did not play any role. Iran was forced to recognize Azerbaijan's demands and on October 20 officially banned its transport workers from violating the Azerbaijani border and not traveling to Karabakh, as well as not trading with Karabakh separatists.   Only after that the arrested were released.-02D-