Azerbaijani MFA summons Iranian diplomat over anti-Azerbaijani remarks

On January 1, 2025, Seyyed Jafar Aghayi Marian, the Charge d'Affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan, was summoned to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting followed a diplomatic protest regarding derogatory comments made by Ayatollah Seyyed Hassan Ameli, the representative of the Supreme Leader in the province and Imam of Ardabil Friday prayers, during a December 29 event in Ardabil, Caliber.Az reports citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

The remarks, broadcast on Iran's state-run News Network, were directed at Azerbaijan and its leadership.

Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed strong dissatisfaction with these statements, emphasizing that the incitement of anti-Azerbaijani sentiments among the Iranian population undermines the spirit of bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

The ministry underlined that such propaganda stands in direct opposition to the goals both countries strive to achieve, including the strengthening of interstate and interpersonal relations.

The Azerbaijani government called for an immediate halt to the provocative rhetoric, stressing that such actions serve only to sow division and foster hostility between the two nations.

By Tamilla Hasanova