"This attack, which took place on 27 January 2023 as a result of personal motives and firearms used in it, caused the death of one of the embassy staff, the injury of three of his colleagues and the destruction of part of the embassy's properties," Salehi said on Wednesday.

The Tehran prosecutor general added that the defendant has been charged with killing on purpose an Azerbaijani citizen using a firearm inside the embassy, buying, carrying and keeping illegal weapons and ammunition including one AK-47 and a pistol and threatening civil order.

The judicial official said that the assailant has also been charged with the intentional wounding of three embassy staff who are citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

He further said that the attacker is expected to receive the severest punishment, while the case is not closed yet as the investigation continues.

Salehi emphasized that in spite of the all-out ill-wishing attempts to undermine the relations between Iran and Azerbaijan following the attack, after the plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the attacker in the Iranian court, the case went through close cooperation of the judicial bodies of the two countries and reached the stage that the severest punishment is being asked for the assailant now.

The prosecutor further said that the Islamic Republic of Iran spares no efforts to protect the rights of foreign nationals who are working in the diplomatic premises, stressing that the Azerbaijani embassy case has been going through a transparent judicial process since its beginning.

He further expressed hope that the process of judicial cooperation between the two countries on the case will continue until the end and that the court will reach a definitive conclusion by issuing a fair verdict for the defendant.

KI/5885348