ISTANBUL

Azerbaijan expressed appreciation Saturday for the US’ statement condemning a drone strike on the Nakhchivan exclave, which injured four people earlier this week.

The Foreign Ministry said that it appreciated the State Department’s statement as it demonstrated Washington’s “support for its partners.”

It said the position expressed by the US fully corresponds to the “letter and spirit” of the charter on strategic partnership signed Feb. 10 between the two countries.

“On such a tense period, many countries have demonstrated their support and solidarity with Azerbaijan. We are grateful to each and every one of them. Obviously, the support shown by the United States, the most powerful country in the world, carries particular significance,” it said. “We express our gratitude to the United States for the demonstrated principled position.

Earlier Saturday, principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement that the US "strongly" condemned the drone attack, defining it as a “flagrant violation of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and a needless escalation of Iran’s aggression.”

Baku said Thursday that its Nakhchivan exclave was hit by drones launched from Iranian territory, injuring four people and causing damage to the region’s international airport.

President Ilham Aliyev accused Iran of committing a "terrorist act" and said Azerbaijan must be given an explanation by Iranian officials about the incident, an apology must be made and those who committed the act must be held criminally liable.

Iran denied that any projectiles were launched toward Azerbaijan amid a call between Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov, later that day, adding its armed forces were conducting an investigation.