Azerbaijani security authorities on Monday arrested an Afghan citizen in Baku for planning to commit a terror attack against a foreign embassy in the city, Azerbaijani media reported on Tuesday morning.

Although the official statement by Azerbaijani security services did not identify the embassy, local reports said that the suspect, Pazhan Musa Khan, was caught red-handed thanks to information provided by the Mossad, which tracked Khan’s movements as he entered Azerbaijan from Iran and began preparing to carry out a deadly attack against the Israeli embassy in Baku. Azerbaijan shares a border with Iran but the two countries have a history of hostile relations.

The Azerbaijani security services published footage showing Khan surveilling the Hyatt Regency hotel complex in Baku, where the Israeli embassy is located, and being arrested at the scene of the crime.

Azerbaijani security services said that Khan meticulously examined the area where the embassies are located, recruited and paid collaborators, and made efforts to procure weapons and explosives in order to commit the attack. Azerbaijani security officials worked closely with their Israeli counterparts on the case.

Azerbaijan’s publication of the video and details of the case was intended to embarrass Tehran.

Israel confirmed that the suspect was arrested after he was found near the Israeli embassy. In recent years, the Azerbaijani security services have succeeded in thwarting several Iranian attempts to carry out terrorist attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets in the country and several Iranian cells have been arrested in the country in recent months.

Azerbaijan inaugurated an embassy in Tel Aviv in March. In May, President Issac Herzog visited Baku under heavy security due to fears of Iranian provocations.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)