Baku, March 6, AZERTAC

The State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SSS) has thwarted terror and sabotage plots planned in Azerbaijan by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s special service body, as a result of comprehensive counterintelligence operations.

According to the SSS, the planned attacks targeted several sites in order to create panic among the population and damage Azerbaijan’s international reputation. The targets included the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Embassy of Israel in Azerbaijan, one of the leaders of the Mountain Jewish religious community, and the Ashkenazi Synagogue. Three explosive devices had been smuggled into the country, but they were neutralized and prevented from being transferred to a third party. Operational-search measures were carried out to identify the strategic facilities and targets of interest to Iranian intelligence services in Azerbaijan, as well as individuals cooperating with them.

The investigation established that Iranian citizens Behnam Sahibali Rustamzada and Yaser Rahim Zandkian, acting in collusion, established criminal contact with Azerbaijani citizen Tarkhan Tarlan oglu Guliyev to smuggle explosive devices into the country. On instructions from Zandkian, an unidentified container placed near the Shikhov settlement, Sabail district, was located. Examination revealed that it contained 7 kilograms and 730 grams of C-4 explosive intended to destroy facilities, including concrete constructions. SSS operational footage showed Tarkhan Guliyev arriving with Nijat Aghayev by car, retrieving the container, and later hiding the explosive device in the Nasimi district of Baku.

Further investigation revealed that another container with explosive devices was later brought into the country on instructions from Iranian citizen Hosein Savar Saber Azarundbileh, who has direct links to the IRGC. The container held two remotely controlled C-4 explosive devices. Azerbaijani citizen Asad Tofiq oglu Abdullayev retrieved the container from a hidden storage site. As the SSS had prior information, the location had been equipped with covert video surveillance. The following day, Rashad Rustamov and Asad Abdullayev retrieved the container from the stash in Shikhlar settlement, Gobustan district, and later hid it near Abdullayev’s residence. The investigation also determined that the Iranian citizens involved in the criminal network were engaged in drug smuggling and acted as coordinating agents of the IRGC.

Additionally, individuals contacted by the IRGC to plan terror and assassination attempts in Azerbaijan were identified. Iranian citizen Sajjad Moghadam Sati Sofi Evad Sheikhzadeh had been searching for a person willing to place an explosive device under a bridge in Sangachal settlement, Garadagh district, offering a reward of $50,000. It was also established that Sheikhzadeh had received special instructions from the IRGC to prepare assassination plans targeting Jewish individuals living in Azerbaijan.

Since three previously delivered explosive devices could not be located after contacts with intermediaries were cut off, another explosive device was smuggled into the country at the initiative of Iranian citizen Hafez Tavassoli. A device weighing 1,280 grams was discovered near the shipbuilding plant in Baku’s Garadagh district. The lethal blast radius of the device was estimated at 250–300 meters. Tavassoli, identified as an IRGC coordinating agent, contacted Azerbaijani citizen Khadija Zakir gizi Aghayeva and asked her to keep a box for two days. After retrieving the package from the provided coordinates, she later hid it in Masazir settlement. Aghayeva reported to Tavassoli that two individuals arrived by motorcycle and collected the package. Acting on instructions from Sajjad Sheikhzadeh, Azerbaijani citizen Elvin Bahruz oglu Ahmadov later took the explosive device and hid it near his house in Bilajari settlement.

At the same time, Tavassoli contacted Azerbaijani citizen Narmina Ramiz gizi Shabanova with instructions to carry out reconnaissance in preparation for an assassination attempt on a public figure. She was tasked with visiting the person’s workplace, photographing the site and the target, and later receiving and accommodating a foreign national sent to Azerbaijan through a third country to carry out the killing. She was also instructed to help obtain a weapon and transportation. During this process, Naib Agaismi oglu Ismiyev offered to assassinate the public figure for 80,000 manats. He filmed the area around the target’s workplace using his mobile phone to plan the attack and sent the footage to Shabanova. The group also discussed obtaining firearms and other tools to carry out the crime, thereby preparing for an assassination attempt.

As a result of urgent preventive operational-search measures carried out by the State Security Service (SSS), the particularly serious crimes described above were prevented. Tarkhan Tarlan oglu Guliyev, Nijat Zaman oglu Aghayev, Asad Tofiq oglu Abdullayev, Rashad Farhad oglu Rustamov, Khadija Zakir gizi Aghayeva, Elvin Bahruz oglu Ahmadov, Narmina Ramiz gizi Shabanova, and Naib Agaismi oglu Ismiyev confessed to their actions. They also admitted that they had retrieved explosive devices and carried out assignments related to assassination plans on the instructions of individuals connected with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

During the investigation, it was established that the individual directly organizing terrorist acts against Azerbaijan was Ali Asghar Bordbar Sherami, an officer of the IRGC Intelligence Organization holding the military rank of colonel.

Iranian citizens Yaser Rahim Zandkian, Behnam Sahibali Rustamzada, Hosein Savar Saber Azarundbileh, and Sajjad Moghadam Sati Sofi Evad Sheikhzadeh - whose involvement in organizing terror and sabotage acts aimed at destabilizing the country and creating panic among the population was identified - have been placed on the international wanted list.

Decisions were also taken against Azerbaijani citizens involved in the criminal activities. Tarkhan Tarlan oglu Guliyev, Nijat Zaman oglu Aghayev, Asad Tofiq oglu Abdullayev, and Rashad Farhad oglu Rustamov were convicted under relevant articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan and sentenced to six years and six months in prison.

Narmina Ramiz gizi Shabanova and Naib Agaismi oglu Ismiyev were charged under Articles 28 and 277 of the Criminal Code (preparation for the assassination of a state or public figure). Elvin Bahruz oglu Ahmadov was charged under Article 228.2.1 (illegal acquisition, transfer, storage, transportation, or carrying of weapons, ammunition, explosives, or explosive devices by a group of persons acting in prior collusion). The court ordered their detention as a preventive measure.

Materials collected by the Main Investigation Department of the State Security Service have been submitted to the court.

Comprehensive investigative and operational measures are continuing to identify other individuals involved in planning terrorist, sabotage, and assassination acts in Azerbaijan in cooperation with foreign intelligence services.