Diplomatic history underscores the contradiction. Following the death of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev personally visited the Iranian embassy in Baku to offer condolences. Meanwhile, the Astara border has served as a humanitarian lifeline: since February 28, more than 1,200 civilians, including 37 foreign nationals, have been evacuated through Azerbaijan’s territory. Against this backdrop, the attack has understandably fueled public doubt: if Azerbaijan’s policy is neutral and humanitarian, why should the country, particularly Nakhchivan, be subjected to Iranian strikes?