Iranian Ambassador Leaves Azerbaijan

Following weeks of tension between Iran and its northern neighbour Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic Foreign Ministry has recalled its ambassador in Baku.

The Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan announced that Ambassador Mohammadbagher Bahrami left Baku for Tehran on Monday May 21. The embassy announcement said the reason for the recall was “insult to religious sanctities.” No further details were given.

In recent months, Iran has summoned the Azerbaijani ambassador to Tehran four times. The reasons includes accusations of alleged cooperation between Baku and the Israeli intelligence services in the assassination operations against Iranian nuclear scientists, military weapons agreements between Azerbaijan and Israel, and claims regarding the arrest of 18 Azerbaijani and four foreign nationals accused of spying for Iran.

Iran has also criticized Azerbaijan for hosting the Eurovision Song Contest, which it said goes against Islam.