Baku rejects Iran envoy’s criticism over ECO summit communiqué

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has condemned remarks by Iran’s ambassador to Armenia, Mehdi Sobhani, regarding the final communiqué of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit held in Khankendi.

Spokesman Aykhan Hajizade said the communiqué was issued as a chair’s summary and did not require additional approval from member states, in line with prior agreement and past summit practices.

He rejected claims that Iran objected to the document, calling them unfounded and diplomatically invalid.

Hajizade noted that the communiqué referred to the Istanbul Declaration adopted unanimously by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which supports the right of Azerbaijanis displaced from Armenia to return.

“The Iranian ambassador’s comments to Armenpress are nothing but political manipulation and hypocrisy,” Hajizade said.