Mohammadreza Mohseni Sani, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said he has sent a letter to Sahiba Gafarova, speaker of the Republic of Azerbaijan’s National Assembly, expressing serious concern over reports that girls were being prevented from attending school because of their religious beliefs and headscarves.
In the letter, the Iranian MP cited the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and UNESCO’s Convention against Discrimination in Education, saying these instruments uphold equal educational opportunities and prohibit discrimination based on religion.
He called on the Republic of Azerbaijan’s authorities to investigate the issue transparently, prevent discriminatory exclusion, and ensure that girls can continue their education without being forced to choose between their religious beliefs and their right to learn.
The controversy follows the enforcement of school dress-code rules in Azerbaijan Republic that have reportedly led to some hijab-wearing students being barred from classes and female teachers being told to remove their headscarves.
The restrictions have triggered student boycotts and demonstrations in Baku and other districts.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Embassy in Baku has rejected allegations linking Tehran to the protests, describing them as baseless and warning that unsubstantiated accusations could fuel divisions and undermine friendly relations between the two countries.