Former Iranian ambassador to Baku calls recognition of AzTV as an "enemy channel" a mistake
Mohsen Pakayin, the former ambassador of Iran to Azerbaijan, has critically assessed the Iranian side's decision to include Azerbaijani State Television (AzTV) on the list of "enemy and terrorist" resources.
As 1news.az reports, the diplomat shared his opinion in an interview with the program "Compass" on the "Sahar" television channel.
"I do not think that we should include the AzTV television channel on the list of enemy and terrorist resources. In my opinion, this is a mistake," Mohsen Pakayin emphasized.
The diplomat called for not aggravating the information confrontation and expressed hope that the media and news agencies of both countries would show restraint in order to preserve the positive dynamics in bilateral relations.
To recall, earlier Iran's Ministry of Intelligence included the Azerbaijani state television channel AzTV on the list of "enemy media structures."
Azerbaijan's Media Development Agency (MEDİA) responded sharply to the decision of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence.
The agency expressed bewilderment at Tehran's steps and the threats of criminal prosecution against individuals cooperating with AzTV. In response, Baku invoked the principle of reciprocity (Article 11.4 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Media"), which allows mirror measures to be imposed against journalists of foreign states.
On this basis, the activities of the Iranian television channel "Səhər" (Sahar) and the "Mehr" agency, as well as their representatives, have been declared illegal on the territory of Azerbaijan for propaganda against the country's national interests, sovereignty, and security.
