Pralarg Magazine Pralarg Magazine
BAKU — Authorities in Azerbaijan say they have disrupted a series of planned attacks allegedly organized by operatives linked to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), arresting individuals accused of forming sleeper cells tasked with targeting strategic infrastructure and foreign military interests.
The country’s State Security Service of Azerbaijan announced that the suspects were preparing coordinated attacks against key oil facilities as well as sites connected to Israel’s military presence in the region.
Officials described the arrests as part of an ongoing counter-terrorism operation aimed at preventing sabotage against Azerbaijan’s critical energy infrastructure, which plays a central role in global energy supply routes linking the Caspian region to European markets.
Escalating Confrontation
The arrests come amid rapidly rising tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani officials say the alleged plots follow several days of cross-border hostilities.
According to authorities in Baku, Iranian drone strikes carried out between March 5 and March 7 struck areas inside Azerbaijani territory, injuring civilians and damaging property. The incidents mark what officials describe as the third consecutive day of direct Iranian military activity targeting Azerbaijan.
In response, Azerbaijan’s government has warned that it reserves the right to retaliate if attacks continue, raising concerns among regional analysts that the confrontation could expand into a broader military conflict.
Strategic Energy Concerns
Azerbaijan is a major exporter of oil and natural gas through pipelines connecting the Caspian Sea region to Europe and the Mediterranean. Any disruption to these facilities could have wider economic and geopolitical implications.
Security officials say the alleged sleeper cells were attempting to exploit these strategic assets as targets in order to destabilize the country and escalate regional tensions.
Investigation Ongoing
Authorities have not yet publicly identified the suspects or disclosed the number of individuals arrested. The State Security Service of Azerbaijan said investigations are continuing and that further arrests may follow as security operations expand.
Regional observers warn that continued hostilities between Iran and Azerbaijan could further complicate security dynamics in the South Caucasus, particularly given the involvement of international energy routes and Azerbaijan’s close security cooperation with Israel.