Iran has slammed the warning by the Republic of Azerbaijan over unnecessary trips to Iran.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan in a statement on Saturday asked its citizens not to travel to Iran.

Baku also asked its citizens who are now in Iran to observe security measures more than before.

In response, Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson of Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said such a policy by Azerbaijan is the same as that of President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, who visited Baku last week.

It was an odd outburst since Israelis cannot and do not travel to Iran as the two countries have no diplomatic ties. Kanaani made a sharp verbal attack on Israel stating that the people of Azerbaijan should be scared of Israel, not Iran.

He further called the Israeli government a "fake regime" and its officials "child killers" in spite of Israel being named the region's only democracy according to Freedom House, while Iran continues to murder civilians for speaking out against the regime.

Tensions have been high between Iran and Azerbaijan since November 2022 when both sides accused each other of engaging in terrorism and espionage.

Azerbaijan closed its embassy in Tehran after an armed attack on its embassy in Tehran in January and then expelled four Iranian diplomats over what it called “provocative actions.

Tehran has also accused Baku of harboring Israeli intelligence and military elements that plan to use its territory in a possible attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities.