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IRAN RECALLS AMBASSADOR FROM AZERBAIJAN IN EUROVISION ROW
Today's Zaman
May 22 2012
Turkey
Iran has recalled its ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mohammad Bagher
Bahrami, after Baku accused Iran of carrying out an anti-Azerbaijani
campaign ahead of the Eurovision song contest, Azerbaijani news
agencies reported on Tuesday.
Senior Azerbaijani presidential administration official Ali Hasanov
accused neighbor Iran of spreading false rumors that a gay pride
march would be held the Azerbaijani capital during Eurovision week.
"They are making statements about something that does not exist. We
are holding Eurovision, not a gay parade," Hasanov told a news
conference. "Actually, there is no word in the Azerbaijani language
for a gay parade, unlike in their language," he added.
He accused Iran of being "jealous" of Azerbaijan's economic success
and worried about its secular government.
Unfounded rumors circulated on Iranian websites this month suggesting
that a gay pride march would take place in mainly Muslim but officially
secular Azerbaijan during Eurovision.
The recall and Hasanov's statement come after hundreds of Azerbaijanis
from various civil society organizations and youth movements staged a
demonstration near the Iranian Embassy in Baku to protest what they
said was "unacceptable support" by Iran for Armenia, a neighboring
country that has occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory since
the early 1990s, calling on Tehran to immediately halt its threatening
statements against Azerbaijan. During the demonstration, the protesters
described Azerbaijan's southern neighbor as a "threat."
Bahrami is expected to leave the country "for consultations" on
Tuesday and the date of his return is unknown.
Relations between Azerbaijan and Iran have been tense in recent months
after Tehran accused Azerbaijan of assisting Israeli intelligence in
the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist.
In February and March, the Azerbaijani Ministry of National Security
carried out several clandestine operations to reveal that Iranian
spies and intelligence agents in Baku were preparing terrorist acts.
Iran has accused Azerbaijan, which borders Iran and has friendly
relations with the United States and Israel, of colluding with Israeli
intelligence in the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist in January.
Tehran has also blasted Baku over media reports speculating that
Azerbaijan may have been in talks on leasing its airfields to Israel
for a possible airstrike against Iranian nuclear facilities.
The last time the Iranian authorities recalled their ambassador
from Baku was during the visit of Israeli President Shimon Peres to
Azerbaijan in 2009.
Today's Zaman
May 22 2012
Turkey
Iran has recalled its ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mohammad Bagher
Bahrami, after Baku accused Iran of carrying out an anti-Azerbaijani
campaign ahead of the Eurovision song contest, Azerbaijani news
agencies reported on Tuesday.
Senior Azerbaijani presidential administration official Ali Hasanov
accused neighbor Iran of spreading false rumors that a gay pride
march would be held the Azerbaijani capital during Eurovision week.
"They are making statements about something that does not exist. We
are holding Eurovision, not a gay parade," Hasanov told a news
conference. "Actually, there is no word in the Azerbaijani language
for a gay parade, unlike in their language," he added.
He accused Iran of being "jealous" of Azerbaijan's economic success
and worried about its secular government.
Unfounded rumors circulated on Iranian websites this month suggesting
that a gay pride march would take place in mainly Muslim but officially
secular Azerbaijan during Eurovision.
The recall and Hasanov's statement come after hundreds of Azerbaijanis
from various civil society organizations and youth movements staged a
demonstration near the Iranian Embassy in Baku to protest what they
said was "unacceptable support" by Iran for Armenia, a neighboring
country that has occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory since
the early 1990s, calling on Tehran to immediately halt its threatening
statements against Azerbaijan. During the demonstration, the protesters
described Azerbaijan's southern neighbor as a "threat."
Bahrami is expected to leave the country "for consultations" on
Tuesday and the date of his return is unknown.
Relations between Azerbaijan and Iran have been tense in recent months
after Tehran accused Azerbaijan of assisting Israeli intelligence in
the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist.
In February and March, the Azerbaijani Ministry of National Security
carried out several clandestine operations to reveal that Iranian
spies and intelligence agents in Baku were preparing terrorist acts.
Iran has accused Azerbaijan, which borders Iran and has friendly
relations with the United States and Israel, of colluding with Israeli
intelligence in the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist in January.
Tehran has also blasted Baku over media reports speculating that
Azerbaijan may have been in talks on leasing its airfields to Israel
for a possible airstrike against Iranian nuclear facilities.
The last time the Iranian authorities recalled their ambassador
from Baku was during the visit of Israeli President Shimon Peres to
Azerbaijan in 2009.