Iran Soroti Hijab Boundaries in Azerbaijan, Dozens of Restricted Protesters

The Iranian government asked Azerbaijan to pay attention to the aspirations of society protesting the restrictions of Hijab use in public schools. The cry was delivered when school uniform policy in Azerbaijan triggered a wave of demonstrations, the incarceration of dozens of people, and the criticism of human rights organizations for the limitation of education access to Muslim students.

An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, said the issue should be resolved by considering the interests of society, respect for the basic rights of citizens, as well as the relationship between the two nations.

"We hope that the country that has a good relationship with us can solve this problem in an atmosphere of understanding, by considering common values and respect for the rights of citizens, Baqaei said in the press conference, Tuesday (20 / 10 / 2026).

Baqaei confirmed Iran and Azerbaijan had a bond between history and culture and a close society. He hoped the difference of view on the use of hijab didn't develop into an issue that disrupted the relationship between the two countries.

According to Baqaei, the hijab has religious significance for the Muslim people who run it. However, he also declared his belief that the Azerbaijan people were able to find a solution according to the interests and conditions of his country.

Tehran's statement appeared after the Azerbaijan government tightened dress rules for students and educators in public schools. That policy retains the objection of some parents and students because it allows a number of girls to jab in the study.

The controversy began after the Cabinet Minister Azerbaijan published the Number 309 decision on September 21, 2026 that changed the order of public school uniforms.

It prohibits the use of extra clothing that undermines school fashion uniformity or not according to secular education principles.

However, the text of the rule does not explicitly call hijab or the veil a banned type of outfit.

On October 6th, the Azerbaijan government also passed the dress provision for public school educators through separate decisions.

In doing so, a number of schools asked students who wore hijab to remove the veil before taking the lesson. Some parents report their children are not allowed to enter the classroom if they keep wearing hijab.

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE / RL) on October 14 reports similar complaints appear in Baku and several other areas.

An old man in Baku, Gulmira Aslanova, said the school asked his daughter to come without a veil. He questioned that policy because middle education was a guaranteed obligation.

According to Aslanova, the right to education shouldn't go away just because a student wears clothes that become part of his religious beliefs.

That issue later triggered student and parent protests. In a number of schools, students perform solidarity acts by not taking lessons to support their friends who wear hijab.

The Azerbaijan government maintains the school uniform rules in order to maintain equality and secular character of the national education system.

The members of the Azerbaijan parliament, Jeyhun Mammadov, declared that policy not as an act of action against Islam nor the practice of community religion.

According to Mammadov, Azerbaijan still gives freedom to his citizens to maintain religious beliefs, including wearing hijab in everyday life.

He explained the specifically discussed provisions of organizing students and teachers at public schools.

MammadoThe terms, he said, are meant to reduce differences based on background religion, economic conditions, and other social factors.

"The application of uniform rules at school aims to ensure equality, eliminate discrimination, as well as form a sense of having against school," Mammadov said as reported Azerbaijan news office, what, on October 13.

He also rejected the notion that these rules are a form of government hostility towards Islam.

However, the government's argument of equality at school has been rejected by some of the society and human rights organizations.

The debate then grew into a broader issue of the relationship between secular principles, religious freedom and the right of every child to get education.