New restrictions regarding religious attire in schools of the Republic of Azerbaijan have once again placed the tense relations between Tehran and Baku in the spotlight. While officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran speak of the right to education for veiled girls, officials of the Republic of Azerbaijan emphasize that the determination of school regulations is an internal matter of this country.
Historical and Cultural Links
Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan have extensive historical, cultural, and religious ties, in addition to their land and maritime borders in the Caspian Sea. Both countries are members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). However, the Republic of Azerbaijan, unlike the Islamic Republic of Iran, has a "secular" political system, and its close political and military relations with Israel are among the most significant factors of disagreement between the two countries.
Recent Diplomatic Tensions
The armed attack on the embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Tehran in January 2023, which resulted in the death of the head of the embassy's security team, was one of the most serious diplomatic crises between the two countries. On March 5, 2026, a drone attack on the autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan escalated tensions. Azerbaijani officials stated that drones from Iranian territory struck near Nakhchivan International Airport and close to a school, injuring four people. Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, described this attack as a "terrorist and aggressive act" and called for an apology from Tehran.
Now, the issue of hijab in Azerbaijani schools has sparked a new tension between Tehran and Baku. The government of Azerbaijan, in September 2026, changed the regulations regarding school uniforms by passing a resolution. Although the term "hijab" is not directly mentioned in the text of these regulations, their implementation in some schools has included the religious attire of girls and has provoked protests.
Hosseini Simayi Sarraf, Iran's Minister of Science, reacted to this issue by releasing a video message stating that Iranian universities are open to girls from Azerbaijan. He also emphasized that Iran is ready to host girls who "are forced to set aside their religious hijab to enjoy the right to education."
These concerns arise while an Azerbaijani government official described Azerbaijan as a "multicultural, tolerant, secular, and free" country and emphasized that educational regulations are determined based on the national interests of an independent country. He also redirected criticisms from the Islamic Republic regarding its performance in women's rights.
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