“The hijab” is Iran’s business inside Azerbaijan: Tehran weighs in

Iran has commented on Azerbaijan’s decision regarding a standardised school uniform, stating that the matter concerns the country’s internal affairs.

TodayPress TV reports that Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei emphasised the longstanding friendly and fraternal relations between Azerbaijan and Iran. He expressed hope that the issue would be resolved through mutual understanding, respect for religious values and respect for citizens’ fundamental rights.

While Tehran seeks to demonstrate that it does not interfere in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs, it has also approached the issue through the lens of religious values and fundamental rights.

Iran’s position has drawn attention because Tehran has commented on Azerbaijan’s domestic decision in terms of religious values and the hijab. Although the issue is described as an internal matter, Tehran has itself weighed in on it.

It should be noted that some Turkish officials had previously issued strong statements on the issue, describing the decision on standardised school uniforms for children as unacceptable.

Jala Rovshan