Azerbaijan's State Security Service (SSS) announced on Friday that it had prevented a series of planned terrorist and sabotage operations, as well as intelligence-gathering activities, orchestrated by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Axar.az informs via AzTV that the operations targeted critical infrastructure and high-profile individuals in Azerbaijan. Among the intended targets were the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Israeli Embassy in Baku, a leader of the Mountain Jewish community, and an Ashkenazi synagogue.

According to the investigation, Iranian nationals Behnam Sahibali Rustamzada and Yaser Rahim Zandkian conspired with Azerbaijani citizen Tarhan Tarlan oglu Guliyev to smuggle explosives into the country. A container near the settlement of Shikhov in Baku"s Sabayil district was found to contain 7.73 kilograms of C-4 explosives.

Investigators further reported that two additional remote-controlled C-4 devices had been smuggled and hidden in various locations. Another device weighing 1.28 kilograms, with a blast radius of 250–300 meters, was discovered in the Garadagh district.

The IRGC also planned an assassination of a public figure in Azerbaijan. Local collaborators were instructed to conduct surveillance of the target"s workplace, procure firearms, and secure a vehicle.

As a result of the preventive operational measures carried out by the State Security Service (SSS), the terrorist plans were thwarted. Azerbaijani citizens Tarhan Tarlan oghlu Guliyev, Nijat Zaman oghlu Aghayev, Asad Tofig oghlu Abdullayev, and Rashad Farhad oghlu Rustamov were found guilty under the relevant articles and sentenced to 6 years and 6 months of imprisonment.

Narmina Ramiz gizi Shabanova and Naib Aghismi oghlu Ismiyev were charged with preparing an assassination attempt on a public figure, while Elvin Bahruz oglu Ahmadov was charged under the article for illegal possession of weapons and explosives. They have been placed under arrest.

During the investigation, it was established that a Revolutionary Guards intelligence officer, Colonel Ali Asgar Bordbar Sheramini, participated in organizing the terrorist plans. International arrest warrants have been issued for Iranian citizens Yaser Rahim Zandkian, Behnam Sahibali Rustamzada, Hossein Savar Saber Azarundbileh, and Sajad Moghaddam Sati Sofi Evad.

The SSS reported that operational and investigative measures to identify terrorist and sabotage plans by foreign intelligence services on the territory of Azerbaijan are ongoing.