TEHRAN -- Police in Tehran said Friday they have arrested a man who shot dead one person and injured two others after entering Azerbaijan’s embassy in the Iranian capital.
“The person entered the Azerbaijani embassy this morning and started shooting with a firearm, killing one person and injuring two others,” Tehran police chief Brigadier General Hussein Rahimi said.
“The police took immediate action and arrested the assailant,” he said, adding that an investigation is underway.
“In the initial investigation, the attacker stated that his motivation was personal and family problems,” Gen. Rahimi said, adding the man is an Iranian man married to an Azerbaijani woman.
“He claims his wife has been held at the embassy for nine months,” Gen. Rahimi added.
According to the Tehran police chief, the assailant had been waiting outside the embassy and when a member of the diplomatic mission was parking his car, the attacker drove and rammed his car to the back of the Azerbaijani vehicle. The attacker then took his AK-47 rifle out of the car and started shooting, forcing his way into the mission, Gen. Rahimi said.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry released a statement, stating that the head of the security service of the embassy was killed in the shooting which happened around 8:30 local time (0500 GMT).
“An individual with a Kalashnikov rifle attacked the security post and killed the head of security,” read a statement by the ministry, according to Trend News Agency.
“Two embassy guards were also wounded in preventing the attack. Their condition is satisfactory,” it added, noting that the attack was under investigation.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani strongly condemned the attack, expressing condolences to the family of the victim and to the Azerbaijani government and people.
“Upon the order of political and security officials, the issue is being pursued with top priority and sensitivity so that aspects of the incident and the motivation of the attacker become clear.”
Noting that initial investigations show personal motivations are behind the attack, Kanaani urged the media to refrain from speculations.