Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8
By Temkin Jafarov - Trend: Iran has closed border-crossing points on the border with Azerbaijan in Julfa (the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic) and Bilasuvar, the head of the press service of the Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan, Seyed Mohammad Ayatollahi said on November 8.
According to him the reason for this is the closing of the Poldasht border- crossing point by Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani State Customs Committee (SCC) told Trend on Nov. 8 that the two border-crossing points, closed from the Iranian side are open on the territory of Azerbaijan. A high density of people is being observed at the Astara border-crossing point in connection with the closing of the border-crossing points.
Head of the press service of the Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan, who confirmed the information about the closing of the border-crossing points by the Iranian border guards on the eve, said that the reason for this was the closing of the Shahtakhti-Poldesht checkpoint by the Azerbaijani border guards without warning.
According to the Iranian Embassy, Azerbaijan closed the Poldesht checkpoint on Nov. 6 because of the shooting of a tractor, at a place near to it.
Previously Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic's representative office in Baku said a tractor which was carrying out shore protection works at the Araz River in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan was fired at on November 5 from Iran by two persons dressed in military uniforms.
Border guards arrived at the scene after hearing the shots.
During the preliminary investigation, it was found that two bullets of the 7.62 mm calibre hit the radiator, and a bullet struck the side of the tractor's cab.
The tractor's location and direction of the shots prove that the fire was opened from Iran.
The Iranian Embassy in Baku said that closing of the Poldesht border-crossing point has created serious problems for the Iranian drivers and citizens.