IRANIAN AMBASSADOR LEAVES FOR TEHRAN FOR CONSULTATIONS
Interfax
May 22 2012
Russia
Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohammad Bagher Bahrami returned to
Iran for consultations on Tuesday, the Iranian embassy has reported.
The diplomat was recalled due to a recent protest organized by a
group of Azerbaijani citizens in front of the building of the Iranian
embassy in Baku, in which statements were made about Iran's spiritual
leader that Iranian officials found to be offensive.
In the meantime, the press service for the Iranian embassy has
issued a report citing charge d'affaires Ahmed Nemati saying that
the Iranian ambassador had left for Tehran in the evening of May 21
"for consultations on the insult of religious saints."
Several protests organized by opposition activists and diaspora
organizations were conducted in front of the Iranian embassy building
in Baku last week to protest Iran's anti-Azerbaijani policies and
the encroachments on the rights of the Azeri population of Iran. The
protesters used photos of the Iranian president and spiritual leader
with critical comments.
Gudrat Gasanguliyev, chairman of the Azeri opposition People's
Front of the United Azerbaijan party, said Iran's actions constitute
interference in the internal affairs of Azerbaijan.
"There are reports stating that Iran is recalling its ambassador
[in Baku]. However, I believe the Iranian ambassador should have
been driven away from here," Gasanguliyev told the Azeri parliament
on Tuesday.
Gasanguliyev said Iran's spiritual leader Homeini, whose country
makes anti-Azerbaijani speeches in connection with the Eurovision
song contest in Baku, "once found shelter in France." "Why did he
[Homeini] not find shelter in Muslim countries, but in France, which
is one of the organizers of Eurovision?" Gasanguliyev said.
Mubariz Gurbanly, parliamentarian and deputy executive secretary of
the ruling party Yeni Azerbaijan, has sharply condemned the organizers
of the anti-Azerbaijani protests in Iran. "The Islamic Republic of
Iran has the word 'Islamic' in its name and therefore should not have
worked with Armenia, which has occupied the territory of Azerbaijan.
Therefore, it is logical that Azerbaijani youth are protesting in front
of the Iranian embassy [in Baku]. Anti-Azerbaijani speeches made by
some religious figures in Tebriz, Tehran, and Ardebil are bad not only
for Azerbaijani-Iranian relations, but also for Iran," Gurbanly said.
Parliamentarian Azai Guliyev, in turn, said the anti-Azerbaijani
campaigns in Iran are targeted against Azerbaijani people living in
Iran. "All these things will harm Iran," he said.
Interfax
May 22 2012
Russia
Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohammad Bagher Bahrami returned to
Iran for consultations on Tuesday, the Iranian embassy has reported.
The diplomat was recalled due to a recent protest organized by a
group of Azerbaijani citizens in front of the building of the Iranian
embassy in Baku, in which statements were made about Iran's spiritual
leader that Iranian officials found to be offensive.
In the meantime, the press service for the Iranian embassy has
issued a report citing charge d'affaires Ahmed Nemati saying that
the Iranian ambassador had left for Tehran in the evening of May 21
"for consultations on the insult of religious saints."
Several protests organized by opposition activists and diaspora
organizations were conducted in front of the Iranian embassy building
in Baku last week to protest Iran's anti-Azerbaijani policies and
the encroachments on the rights of the Azeri population of Iran. The
protesters used photos of the Iranian president and spiritual leader
with critical comments.
Gudrat Gasanguliyev, chairman of the Azeri opposition People's
Front of the United Azerbaijan party, said Iran's actions constitute
interference in the internal affairs of Azerbaijan.
"There are reports stating that Iran is recalling its ambassador
[in Baku]. However, I believe the Iranian ambassador should have
been driven away from here," Gasanguliyev told the Azeri parliament
on Tuesday.
Gasanguliyev said Iran's spiritual leader Homeini, whose country
makes anti-Azerbaijani speeches in connection with the Eurovision
song contest in Baku, "once found shelter in France." "Why did he
[Homeini] not find shelter in Muslim countries, but in France, which
is one of the organizers of Eurovision?" Gasanguliyev said.
Mubariz Gurbanly, parliamentarian and deputy executive secretary of
the ruling party Yeni Azerbaijan, has sharply condemned the organizers
of the anti-Azerbaijani protests in Iran. "The Islamic Republic of
Iran has the word 'Islamic' in its name and therefore should not have
worked with Armenia, which has occupied the territory of Azerbaijan.
Therefore, it is logical that Azerbaijani youth are protesting in front
of the Iranian embassy [in Baku]. Anti-Azerbaijani speeches made by
some religious figures in Tebriz, Tehran, and Ardebil are bad not only
for Azerbaijani-Iranian relations, but also for Iran," Gurbanly said.
Parliamentarian Azai Guliyev, in turn, said the anti-Azerbaijani
campaigns in Iran are targeted against Azerbaijani people living in
Iran. "All these things will harm Iran," he said.