What happened: Hosseinzadeh was hanged on Wednesday after an Iranian court found him guilty of first-degree murder, the illegal purchase and possession of an assault rifle and handgun, and disorderly conduct, according to Iranian state media. The attack took place on Jan. 27, 2023, when Hosseinzadeh opened fire inside the embassy, killing the embassy’s head of security and injuring two security guards. 

He was sentenced to death in July 2024, and the decision was upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court in January 2025. 

During the trial, Hosseinzadeh told the court that he stormed the embassy with an AK-47 because he believed his wife was inside and refusing to meet with him — a motive Iranian officials cited at the time to portray the incident as personal rather than political. But Baku accused Tehran of failing to prevent threats against and properly protect Azerbaijani missions, with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev calling the incident a “terrorist attack.”