Baku calls on Iran to address its own country's problems instead of interfering in Azerbaijan's education policy

"The anti-Azerbaijani statement by Iran's Minister of Science, Research and Technology Hossein Simai Sarraf regarding education issues in Azerbaijan is surprising and regrettable."

This was stated in a statement by the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

This completely inappropriate statement is nothing other than an attempt to interfere in Azerbaijan's internal affairs. No one is allowed to interfere in our country's internal affairs, including its education policy, and such attempts at interference are suppressed in the most resolute manner.

We would recommend that Iranian officials, instead of interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, address the problems of their own country.

As a result of the policy pursued by Iran, there is not a single school in that country where instruction is conducted in the Azerbaijani language. Instruction in the Azerbaijani language is also not provided in higher education institutions.

Meanwhile, about 40 million residents of Iran are indigenous ethnic Azerbaijanis, who for decades have been deprived of the right to receive an education in their native language.

It would be better for Iran's Minister of Science, Research and Technology and other individuals speaking out in Iran on this topic, instead of interfering in Azerbaijan's internal affairs, to address precisely these issues and take measures to eliminate this unprecedented injustice that has continued for decades.

"It should be recalled that earlier, the Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Hossein Simaei SarrAF, spoke out against the implementation of a unified school uniform in Azerbaijan. He stated that they could create a 'free educational environment' for young women who, according to his claim, are deprived of the right to education, and added that Iranian universities are ready to admit Azerbaijani female students."