(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) Details added: first version posted on 11:10
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 29. The Caucasus
Muslims Office (CMO) resolutely condemns Iranian foreign minister's
speech made in Armenia's Kapan and demands to retract the
statement, reports via the CMO.
The CMO made the remark regarding the threatening statements of
Iran and military drills carried out along the border with
Azerbaijan.
'Since the 2020 Karabakh War, Azerbaijan has demonstrated its
clear intention to develop political and economic ties with
neighboring countries to ensure regional peace and cooperation.
However, Azerbaijan's good intentions are often perceived
negatively and completely misinterpreted. This is especially
evident in relation with neighboring Iran. As far as Azerbaijan is
a secular, law-governed and democratic state, it's the
responsibility of officials to express an opinion on political and
economic issues. As for theocratic Iran, the religious community of
the country is responsible for commenting on political events.
Thus, as the religious center of Azerbaijan, we regard as a duty to
express our attitude toward religious-spiritual realities,' the CMO
noted.
The statement said that the religious factor between Iran and
Azerbaijan is of particular necessity among other historical and
moral values. This phenomenon should foster the further
rapprochement of the two peoples.
'A friend in need is a friend indeed. Protective attitude of
Iran towards Armenia before and since the solution of the Karabakh
conflict, is condemned by Muslims, the Azerbaijani people. Unlike
other Muslim countries, which didn't establish political and
diplomatic relations with the aggressor-country and made statements
condemning the occupation, Iran further enhanced all-inclusive
cooperation with Armenia, thus ignoring the resolutions adopted
within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). This attitude
running counter to Islam values is not perceived by the Azerbaijani
believers,' said the statement.
According to the CMO, during the occupation of Azerbaijani
lands, when Armenia transformed mosques into pigsties, committed
the Khojaly genocide, forced a million Azerbaijanis to leave their
native lands, Iran made no statements to protest against these
atrocities.
'When the Armenians, having destroyed Azerbaijani mosques in
Karabakh and Western Azerbaijan, 'rebuilt' the Yukhari Govhar Agha
Mosque in Shusha and the Blue Mosque in Yerevan in order to create
the image of allegedly caring of mosques, the Iranian companies
were covering the vandalism of Armenia through changing the
peculiarity of Azerbaijani mosques,' the statement said.
Besides, the CMO noted that the Azerbaijani society negatively
perceives military drills of Iran on the border with Azerbaijan
against the backdrop of new realities in the region in the post-war
period.
'The political, economic and military power of the Azerbaijani
state is able to prevent all threats, including any provocations on
our borders. Confrontation between close neighbors, brothers is
only for the benefit of enemies,' the statement further said. 'The
highest religious authorities of Iran, claiming justice, for some
reason doesn't express their position on the zeal of their country
regarding cooperation with Armenia, which occupied Azerbaijani
lands, nor comment on how this corresponds to Islamic values.'
'The opinions of some Iranian imams, who, instead of sharing the
joy of the Azerbaijani people who have won the struggle for the
restoration of justice, slander the country, are perceived
negatively by believers in Azerbaijan,' the CMO pointed out.
'The Araz River is sacred for the Azerbaijanis living on both
sides of it. Only bridges of friendship can be built through it. As
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said, hoisting the Azerbaijani
flag on the Khudafarin Bridge, the bridge is a national treasure of
the Azerbaijani people. The Khudafarin Bridge is a symbol of
Azerbaijani-Iranian friendship, the Azerbaijani-Iranian border is
the border of friendship, cooperation,' the CMO reminded.
The CMO also reminded that religion in Azerbaijan is separated
from the state, and no propaganda is conducted against any state in
the mosques of the country, and there is no interference in the
internal affairs of any country.
'However, we cannot ignore any threats and slander against our
spirituality and statehood. Islam, our sacred religion, teaches us
to stand for truth and justice. As the Caucasus Muslims Office, we
demand retract the statement of the Iranian Foreign Minister
Hossein Amir Abdollahian at the opening of the Iranian Consulate
General in Kapan. This is necessary in the name of common Islamic
interests, as a sign of respect for the ideals of peace and
brotherhood of the Islamic religion, in order to preserve relations
between our neighboring states, including in the religious and
spiritual terms. For us, this is the 'red line',' the CMO
stressed.
'The Muslims of Azerbaijan are always committed to the statehood
of their country, determined to protect the interests of the state,
the sovereignty of our country. In the 2020 Karabakh War, the
people of the country, regardless of religion, language and
ethnicity, having united as a fist around the Supreme
Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, demonstrated an example of unity
to the whole world, and can repeat this. Azerbaijani believers
always support the head of our state. May the Almighty always
preserve our independence and statehood!' concluded the CMO.